Surrender
by Felinafullstop
Summary: Starscream and three decepticons are integrated into the Autobots ranks. Tension rises between many team members but things start to settle when some of the officer's begin to involve themselves with other mechs in their outfit. Starscream/Ironhide
1. Captive

**Surrendering **

_**Chapter one: Captive**_

Post Dark of the MOON: Ironhide has survived. Skids, Mudflap, Wheeljack, and Mirage are dead.

_**_Rating will INCREASE as fiction continues somewhere around chapter 4._  
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_I know, I know I should be writing other stories but this has three chapters already and it just has to be put out there. I don't know how well people are going to like this pairing but it's not found when I searched for it. For now it focuses on Starscream. He's one of the major partners here …can you guess who I'm going to pair him with! I DARE YOU TO GUESS! Read and review and I love you guys. Major plot points to come in the next two chapters.  
><em>

_This is for Borath, because I know this is something she'll enjoy._

Transformers belong to Hasbro. I just write them into my own twisted little fics.

Paddle-Shifter belongs to me.

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><p>The hanger was well lit. They had been given a berth each and Energon. These Decepticons, in their minds, were prisoners of war. Though they were fed and given berths, they were still held captive against their will.<p>

The human surveillance teams had done a great job installing cameras; there were hardly any blind spots in the building. The four Decepticons were in holding. Three of them sat talking quietly amongst themselves, disarmed, and with their transformation cogs disabled they remained in their bi-pedal modes. They were trying to keep their spirits up, but it had been seven days and they would wait longer until Optimus or Starscream broke their silences.

The forth Decepticon stood, away from the small group, staring at the far wall, to the three flat television screens that funneled in human news from the outside: CNN, MSNBC, and FOXNEWS.

Barricade, Hook, and Paddle-Shifter sat together on three crates.

"Think he'll be ok?" The youngest asked looking up at Barricade to his left, then Hook to his right.

"He'll be fine Shifter." Barricade murmured slowly. "He just needs time this will be a hard adjustment."

Hook gave Barricade a quizzical look, his demeanor had changed almost over night, and this concerned the medic. Hook pressed on his knees shifting to stand and looked back "Remain here; the both of you." He said slowly.

"Sir." Barricade nodded and put a hand on Paddle-Shifter's shoulder. "Stay put youngling let Hook try to talk to him."

Taking slowly deliberate steps forward Hook found himself beside the silver seeker. "How are you holding up?" Hook's quiet tenor voice was kind and sincere.

Starscream looked down, then back up into the medic's optics and was surprised as his vocals cracked slightly. "I'll be fine." He cleared his vocals as he nodded trying to keep his stoic composure that he'd kept all week. "Better than if we'd been bonded I'm sure." It was Starscream trying to reassure himself.

Hook looked up at the raptor and gave him a slow acknowledging nod. "I know what he meant to you." He tried to focus on the human on the Fox News Network. "What you meant to him." He added quietly. "I lost the one I cared for too."

Starscream turned to face Hook for only a moment observing the mech in quiet thought. He started to speak but closed his mother giving a slow nod. "Of course." It was all he managed to get out before he sealed his lips and looked back at the screens. If Megatron had said anything to the medic the seeker didn't want to know, it was hard enough with him dead. To hear things he'd never hear the other mutter would be harder, there would be no way to find out of they were true.

This would be the second time the seeker had lost his berth-mate, and the medic could see the strain. He knew this was not easy for Starscream, because unlike last time, there was no coming back for Megatron.

"With all due respect Starscream, what will happen to us now?" Hook turned his head now and met Starscream who twisted toward him to speak.

"The war is over." Starscream said with finiteness. "Cybertron is dead, Sentinel and Mega-," he sealed his optics then opened them slowly. "Megatron were wrong." He said slowly. "This will most likely be difficult, but I am planning to make arrangements with the Autobots." He reached up running his claws over his chest idly.

"What?" Hook blinked. "What kind of arrangements could you fathom to make?"

"We've no where to go, nothing to gain from leaving except starving to death in space. The nemesis is scrap, the Ark won't fly, the Autobots have no ship for space travel, but they do have an Energon converter." Starscream lowered his helm closing his optics as his fingers lifted from his chest to his optics, and thumbed over his optical-lid screens. "It is in our best interests to remain on Earth." Hook could tell that admission was the hardest of all. "Amongst our own people." He said slowly. "As difficult as transition as I fear it will be." Starscream sighed deeply his vents expelling the hot air from his manifold over his back plates. "This will not be easy but we're going to have to make it work, make sacrifices." He said this last sentence only for himself as if using it's to draw up his own strength.

Turning Starscream looked directly into the first camera he knew was active. "I request to speak with Optimus Prime."

* * *

><p>Red-Alert turned from his console. "Optimus you've been summoned." He said slowly. "Took him a week, but the seeker is asking for you now."<p>

"I thought it would take longer." Ratchet replied slowly his helm turning to face Ironhide.

"I'll escort you to him Prime." Ironhide said briskly. "He can't be trusted." The black mech checked his sides reaching down to his leg panel with a nod to assure himself his combat blade was in place.

Optimus turned having heard all the objections he held up a hand. "Ironhide he is disabled I will speak to him alone, though you will escort him to my hanger."

"Optimus." Ironhide shook his head taking a step forward his arm raised in protest. "This is lunacy."

Optimus was a sheet of stone, his emotions did not waver and he did not seem to care for Ironhide's little outburst. "You have your orders Ironhide." Optimus repeated firmly and it caused every manifold in the room to hold as Ironhide's posture stiffened.

"Yes Sir." He said and turned brushing past Ratchet Briskly and moving out the doors. Ratchet shook his head and stepped forward next to Optimus.

"He's still very angry Optimus." Ratchet sighed turning to Face the Peter-built as it turned away. "After what Sentinel did, and the loss of Skids and Mudflapp…" Ratchet shook his head. "He's not going to be himself for a long while."

"We have to move on." Optimus said slowly. "I know that's not the easiest of things to do given the situation, but we have a city to help rebuild, and humanity to watch over, we can't just take a vacation from it." He said blandly.

"You could use one, a vacation, get your mind off all this tragedy." Ratchet said slowly. "That is my professional opinion by the way."

"Your opinion is noted Ratchet. Get Barricade out of there. I want you to try to get him figured out as soon as possible." Optimus said dryly before turning to the door. "I'll be speaking with the Starscream, excuse me."

Ratchet looked at Red Alert who shrugged. "Boss man's got a lot on his space dock." Red Alert smirked and sat back in his chair. Turning to his almost 25 LCD screens the small red and black mech started to continue his monitoring.

"He certainly does my friend." Ratchet nodded slowly. "He certainly does." Turning Ratchet leaned down over Red Alert's control panel. "See if you can raise Bumblebee I'll take him with me to get Barricade." Ratchet smiled. "We'll get this Decepticon sorted out."

* * *

><p>They all stood up as the hanger door opened as if a damn had burst. Ironhide stood with his laser rifle over his left shoulder peering in just enough to make himself look menacing. "Just Starscream." He said flatly. Hook, Barricade, and Paddle-shifter sat back down.<p>

Starscream nodded to them and looked forward to Ironhide. "I will return shortly." He said assuredly. "Get some rest all of you."

"Be careful." Was the only warning Hook gave; however, Starscream didn't appear to have heard him as he stepped over the lip of the hanger door and out into the sunlight. Ironhide sealed the door and then faced the larger mech. "You'll be going to Prime's hanger to speak with him privately." He said and motioned Starscream along. "This way."

Starscream raised a brow as he began to walk along the asphalt that lead to the tarmac. "You do not support his decision to bring me out."

Ironhide didn't look up. "No I do not." He said gruffly.

Starscream for a moment got lost in the thought of being on his wheels and rolling onto the runway the air in his intakes, the ground vanishing away under a blanket of clouds. He shook his head to vanish the daydream.

Coming back to himself Starscream shrugged giving Ironhide a sideways glance. "And why is that exactly? I thought you of all Autobots would be supportive of your leader? Hmm?" The seeker's arms fell behind his back as he walked slowly across the tarmac with the smaller weapon's specialist.

"Stop fishing." Ironhide said and pushed him forward slightly. It was a very small push and didn't do any damage, but it was enough to make the Raptor's smirk grow. "It's none of your slagging business."

"I can assure you this much Ironhide, if Megatron wanted to meet with your second in command; I wouldn't leave them alone."

Ironhide growled. "I don't trust you."

"You won't trust me." Starscream clarified as he stepped forward.

"No. You're absolutely right. I won't. I would never trust someone like you." They came to a stop outside a large hanger. Starscream was relieved he would be able to stand at full height without hitting the roof of the building. Built for a Prime. Reaching up his hand Ironhide rapped on the door with his silver knuckles. "Prime I have your …guest." The word sounded like treachery on his tongue. He was disgusted, and Starscream was getting the slightest bit of pleasure from the mech's annoyance. It was helping give Starscream the courage to help him do what he needed to do.

The door slid back and Optimus appeared in the doorway and motioned the seeker inside. Starscream gave Ironhide a smirk and then turned inside past Optimus. "Go back to the Command Center."

Ironhide grabbed the frame of the door. "Optimus I must once again Protest that this is highly-"

"Go back to the Command Center." He said again and shut the door. Ironhide managed to pull his servo free just in time.

Optimus vented a sigh; he and Ironhide were going to have to have a serious talk about all this. As he looked up he turned to see Starscream looking at a case on table before him. "Is that what I think it is?" The F22 murmured quietly.

"That is what's left of it yes." Optimus nodded and walked forward. "It was found on the boy." He replied evenly. "One of very few relics we have left, and even it is not whole."

"Broken just like our people." The Raptor gave pause. "It's so small." Starscream murmured softly his hand reaching forward to the glass; he placed his palm on the case and held it there. Optimus did not move he merely watched the seeker. "I never got to see it myself not up close…I saw the boy holding it on the building tops in Mission city but I never got this close to it." There was a long lingering silence.

Starscream lowered his helm. "Forgive my nostalgia." He murmured softly. "What befell us was a great tragedy." He murmured lowering his arm and standing straight; his head still bowed. "This war tore everything apart. It stopped being about the planet…and became…"

Optimus nodded slowly his tone even with each spoken word. "It was between me and Megatron."

"Yes and I thought you would bend eventually. " Starscream's optics met those of the Prime. "Give surrender." He shook his head "But you always had followers, always had Energon." He frowned and looked away. "And Megatron was too strong willed to bend, or even break." The seeker sighed, "He would not give in to you."

"The Decepticons had a ship." Optimus said slowly. "We have had nothing like the Nemesis."

"It's a graveyard now." Starscream shook his helm slowly. "The cargo bay was converted to a rookery." He shook his head "The eggs…nests are all dead." He looked down. "We didn't have the Energon to sustain them all."

"You crated young." There was no surprise in his voice as he stated the fact. Optimus wasn't going to interrogate the seeker, he seemed talkative enough divulging the information on his own. Simple statements of fact seemed to make the Scientist more verbose.

"Over four vorns as the ship made it's way here. We had breeders." Starscream shook his head "Megatron spent a lot of time with them, said it was our sworn duty to procreate so that when we rebuilt Cybertron it would have a race to live on it." He shook his head slowly. Reaching up his hand to rub at his optics. "Most of the mechs went to the breeding grounds willingly a good face in the midst of war, they saw it as therapy and so did Megatron. Very few did so under duress."

"Femmes and Mechs?" Optimus asked slowly trying to carry along Starscream's easy confessions.

"The breeders?" To Optimus' nod he shrugged "You knew Megatron well…I'm sure," he gave a curt motion of his right hand. "Mostly Mechs who weren't cut out for battle or hard labor…they were send to the breeding pits, and almost every femme though there were few and even fewer still lived to birth more than one hatchling. The mechs were just better at production than the femmes." He sounded almost remorseful. "They were breed with the strongest of warriors…. as many as they could make." Optimus held his silence. "I didn't sire any." Starscream said slowly but it didn't seem to give him much comfort. "Megatron sired dozens with three of the mechs from the pit, but they are all dead." He left the _thank Primus_ part out of it.

It really soured Starscream that the one mech he truly cared for didn't care for his feelings at all. Starscream shared Megatron's berth but Megatron himself never really touched him.

"But you didn't." Prime stated coming around to sit on a seat on the far wall.

"Eh-no I did not. It was my choice and with my rank no one really questioned it." He said slowly turning away from the All-Spark sliver's case and looking back. "My spark was allied to Megatron himself, had he wished to Spark me I would have had to comply." Starscream reached out to touch a few items on the shelf near the cube sliver; mostly human artifacts.

Optimus' optics thinned. "You wanted to though did you not?"

"I did." He sounded slightly shameful. Starscream looked nervously up then down desperate to change the subject. After a long tense moment he turned to meet the other's piercing gaze. "What will you do with us?" he was desperately trying to rein his emotions in. Optimus could see as much as feel, with the Matrix's help, the aching field the seeker gave off. No one else would feel that ache, that deep rooted anguish, except a Prime.

"That has not been decided." Optimus said honestly. "The war is over Starscream." Optimus said matter-of-factly. "You are not prisoners of war." He sighed and turned his head away. "There's very little we can do."

Starscream nodded. "You can't release us can you?"

"Unfortunately no." Optimus murmured. "The humans will not allow it, you cannot be tried under their legal system and so the four of you, and any other former Decepticons we might find will fall under our purview."

Starscream lowered his helm. "I don't suppose if I said I was sorry that will help our cause." He sighed at the stern look he received and held up a hand in concession before lowering it.

Optimus let the little comment go and watched the seeker quietly for a long time. "What?" Starscream looked at him long and hard.

"If I grant you a pardon, the four of you." Optimus motioned to the seat beside himself and the seeker slowly took it. "Would you help us round up the rogues?"

"The soldiers who still follow the Decepticon cause?" Starscream asked.

"In so many words yes." Optimus said firmly.

"It might take some deception," he laughed at that slightly. "But I can bring in a very large group of them." He said slowly. "The others may need to be put into stasis, restrained, or even held in detention. Some, and I know you fought Demolisher, are just what's the human term for it…bloodthirsty? Yes, and it will take much more than me telling them to stand down for them to do so."

"You all weren't very organized."

"Chaos itself was what we were going for. If you could not predict our movements we felt safer."

Optimus gave silent acknowledgement to the statement, as he leaned forward grabbing a data pad and sliding it to Starscream. "We have had a few of the Energon detectors going off in these four sectors." He said slowly. "Some in the last twelve hours." He said softly. "Could you help us figure out who these are and how best to bring them in?"

Starscream eyed the map. Antarctica he wasn't going near he turned his attention to Mexico and a blip. "I think I might know who that is." He said slowly. "How long as it been going off?"

Optimus turned the pad to him and made a few calculations. "Twelve breems." He said slowly.

Starscream looked up. "It has got to be Thundercracker." He said slowly with a sigh. "He's setting it off on purpose probably to lure you in." He shook his head. "He was in charge of that area of the Earth, it fell into his patrol route." Starscream reached to the lower side of South America. "Breakdown was covering this area." His hand drew back. "Those are my two best guesses. I'm not sure who would be up in the frozen wastes, but I'll think about it some more it would have to be one of us that could stand the extreme cold." He looked at the blinker on the USA. His claw trailed over the state of Illinois. "I might have an idea of who this is too." He murmured. "But I don't want to speculate."

Optimus gave him a long look. "Thank you for being forthcoming with the information you have."

Optimus gave him a second data-pad. "I'll be sending data-pads to the hanger for your mechs, for now just start keeping a log, and try to do what you can to remember where the others are. My pertinent information you can provide will be welcomed. You and your mechs, are pardoned." He stood. "Thank you for speaking with me."

"We're out of options Optimus." The seeker looked up at him. "What happens when the humans no longer grant us asylum on this planet?" Starscream asked in all seriousness.

Optimus' optics looked over to the shard sliver case. "Than we shall go, and make the best of it."

"That's a pretty sad option." Starscream let out a low chuckle.

Optimus, however, didn't seem amused.

_**To be continued.**_


	2. Entrapment

Surrendering

Chapter 2: Entrapment

_There's lots of stuff going on this chapter...LOTS_

_Thanks to everyone who read and reviewed this one is for you guys...I'm trying to answer EVERY review so if you haven't heard from me... you will ;)_

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><p>It had been hours before Starscream had returned. His hands clutching the data-pads for his mechs provided by Optimus "How did it go?" Barricade asked softly.<p>

"It went better than I had foreseen." Starscream handed out the data-pads one by one. "Start keeping logs for now." He sighed almost dejectedly.

"Starscream what are we going to do?" Hook took the data-pad in his hand and slid it up under his arm. "You've always wanted to be the leader of the Decepticons and now you are, so lead us."

Starscream shook his head. "you're a fool." He looked at hook sternly. "There's not thing left to lead, and no cause." Starscream pressed past angrily. "we're Prime's mechs now get use to it."

"This is so unlike you Starscream!" Hook tossed his data-pad down against the wall. "How could you do this to us?"

Starscream turned to him infuriated. "I lost everything with Megatron's deactivation!" He bellowed. It was a painful admission and he felt his Energon lines go cold as the swell in his spark reminded him of his broken spark. "Everything!"

Barricade took a step back pushing Paddle-shifter behind himself. "Stay back youngling."

"You lost your mind is what you've lost!" Hook shook his head "You think you know what's best for us?"

"Go on then…leave…try to …you'll die without the Energon the Autobots can provide!" Starscream seethed his mouth clenched. "You will cease to function without their help! This is not what I wanted either but we've run out of options what would you have me do? Take us out of here to die? I'd rather throw what's left of my life with the Autobots, because when I go to the well I know Primus will put me to the pit …and this is better than being cast asunder!"

"You'd do anything to save your own skin…apparently even from Primus himself." Hook growled out gesturing like politician at a debate. "You've brought this upon us all…" Hook muttered quietly.

"You think they're going to put us offline?" Starscream's anger appeared to ebb with the disbelief in his own question. "You're just going to have to get use to it." He muttered quietly. "We all are." He turned to Barricade and sighed. "The little one can come out." He didn't apologize for the minor spat at all.

Paddle-shifter moved around. "I don't know why it's such a bad thing." The green youth said. "I mean we haven't been harmed."

"Yet." Hook said slowly. "Yet youngling."

Barricade shook his head rolling his optics. "There were never reports of Autobot abuse on our troops."

"There were!" Hook insisted.

"Those reports were never substantiated." Starscream sat down on his berth against the right wall corner. "Look the point is this: if we stay we survive. We will get our cogs programed again, and then you can all drive. I will be able to… Well, I be allowed to fly."

Hook nodded. "That's what this is…you've got ground dementia." He was almost certain of it. "Oh for the love of Unicron himself." Hook shook his head putting his thumb and fingers against his forehead as if focusing his thoughts.

Starscream gave him a disapproving look. "Oh you are not serious." He rolled his optics and put his head in his hands.

"Ground dementia set in the moment we were placed here." Hook continued opening his optics pointing at the seeker. "I've seen it many times amongst seekers especially ones grounded for two ore more Joors."

"I think someone else has ground dementia." Shifter whispered to Barricade. Barricade looked at the youngling but didn't appear to respond to him.

Hook turned. "Don't get me started on you two." Barricade looked up giving their medic a challenging look. "You haven't been yourself since you got here Barricade."

Not one to lie about thinks like this; the cruiser nodded. "No I haven't." The cruiser's deep voice rolled off his glossa. "I'm making the best of this; we all are you need to really rethink your position Hook."

The hanger door suddenly opened cutting off their argument. Bumblebee stood in the doorway and pointed to the cruiser with optics that were dark and thin. "Where are you taking him?" Starscream asked but was met with nothing.

Barricade nodded and motioned Paddle-Shifter to Starscream. "Stay with Screamer I'll be back soon." Barricade turned to the door and followed the yellow scout out of the room.

Bumblebee gave out a low whistle. The voice that immerged was from an old western. " Tha doc'll be wantin' ta speak ta ya." John Wayne's voice came from the young mech who had the brightest most optimistic optics.

"You are taking me to Ratchet?"

"Affirmative." Commander Data's voice from the human show Star Trek responded.

"I didn't know you'd lost your voice young one…" Barricade nodded. "I am sorry." Bumblebee blinked but couldn't find the will to respond in any language he only pointed to another hanger and the two began to trek over to where Ratchet stood waiting with a smile.

* * *

><p>"I don't know what's gotten into you." Optimus murmured softly from his seat along the far wall of his personal hanger. "I know what happened in D.C. was hard for you, but this has gone on long enough…. Old friend." The last part was a soft hurt statement.<p>

Ironhide turned slowly to glance at Optimus before turning himself fully to face the opposite wall again. "I can't help it. I don't trust anything."

"That is not an entirely new development." Optimus said slowly. "You've had trust issues before but nothing like this…You've never once questioned my orders." Optimus stood pointing a firm finger to the black mech's back. "And in front of subordinates no less." He shook his head lowering his arm turning to a small container behind himself opening it up.

Pulling down two small canisters of high-grade he set them down on the table. "Sit down and talk to me." Optimus said. "I shall make it an order if I have to."

Ironhide turned glancing the small containers. "Fine." He murmured coming around and dropping down into a seat beside Optimus.

Ironhide was going to be different than talking to Starscream. Ironhide was never forthcoming with information. "Does this have to do with Sideswipe?" Optimus ventured as his lips barely touched his cylinder, before taking a long sip.

Ironhide looked down at the stainless steel cylinder in his own hands and nodded a bit. He still did not speak as he moved his arm slightly to stir the contents of his glass around in a slow circle. "I noted you two have stopped your morning training sessions, and sparring."

Ironhide sighed outwardly conflicted. "I do not know what to say."

"The truth is helpful." Optimus said slowly.

"This an official meeting?" Ironhide asked lowering the cube slightly as is optics flashing a bit brighter.

"It is not on the record." Optimus murmured. "Just two old friends having a talk."

Ironhide smirked and laughed slightly. "Old…that's what he called me."

Optimus brow rose. "Sideswipe?"

Ironhide took a drink of his cylinder and shook his head. "Yeah it's what he said."

Optimus nodded. "It is unfortunate…"

Ironhide shook his head lowering his hands and something seemed to have burst in him like a crack in a dam. "I mean old? I am just as strong and able as I have ever been Optimus." He looked down at his feet. "Old." He said it with disbelief.

"Did you tell him how you felt about him?" Taking a sip Optimus waited as the black mech looked him directly in the optics. Ironhide didn't have to say anything. "You did…"

"And he shot me down flat…put the spikes right out on the road and flattened my tires." It was an apt expression Ironhide made a sweeping gesture as he spoke illustrating him rolling then hitting spikes and not moving anymore. Ironhide was feeling trapped and rejected and it was causing him to loose his grasp on his own control.

Optimus took in a deep vent. "How long has it been since Chromia was offlined?" He asked quietly.

Ironhide looked up he hadn't expected that question. "Um…that was back on Zeros." He shook his head. "Long time ago."

"Perhaps you should not look at this so much as rejection." Optimus held up a hand to stop Ironhide from speaking when he opened his mouth. "Perhaps this is just how it should be. Sideswipe is very young, and reckless at times. I think you should step back, take a good long hard look at yourself." Ironhide took a slow drink his optics not really focused as he listened to Optimus speak. "Maybe try to just cool off…" He said slowly. "Focus on something other than the companionship."

"That is slagging hard to do." Ironhide looked up.

"I know you're lonely." Optimus leaned back. "So am I." He shook his head.

"But Prowl is back now, for you, so that still leaves me alone." Those words made Optimus look up sharply at the insinuation. "Oh…I thought you and he…." Optimus shook his head. "Sorry that's my mistake." Ironhide shook his head "I really thought you two had something between you both."

"You are very perceptive, and while I am very fond of him… He's been amongst the Decepticons for an extremely long amount time, it's going to be hard for him to integrate back into our ways…I thought he could stay with you in your hanger. If it will not be an inconvenience." Optimus looked at his knee joint deep in thought, he didn't think Ironhide had that much info on him or had even perceived his unspoken interest in the cruiser.

Optimus sighed softly. Looking up to Ironhide who raised a glass to answer the Prime's question.

"If that's what you feel is best, it's not inconvenient to me." Ironhide nodded slowly. "Only if he wants to, I'm the only one besides you who's not got a hanger mate, and you're not likely to take a companion any time soon."

Optimus shook his head. "Most likely no. In that you're correct."

Ironhide knelt forward forearms resting on his knees. "Aren't we a right pair?" He asked slowly. "Here's to the spark break we suffer." He lifted his glass and Optimus met him half way in a melancholy toast to their feelings.

"May it pass over us like the rain…" Optimus finished softly as they both finished their cylinders of High-grade. Optimus couldn't help but feel bad for Ironhide, he had thought the young warrior and the elder warrior had been getting along. It would have been nice to see them together but at this rate no one in their little group was in any rush to settle down with any of the others. Optimus hoped that the introduction of the three Decepticons along with the re-entry of Prowl into their ranks would smooth things over, but he had no idea how that was going to go. Everything was just up in the air at this point.

"Ratchet to Optimus." Ratchet's voice broke through on the radio. Ironhide pointed to the radio. aa

Optimus turned pressing the button on the wall. "This is Optimus."

"He's waking up now if you want to speak to him in say twenty minutes."

Optimus exchanged a quick glance with Ironhide who stood and waved making his way for the door. "I'm on my way Ratchet. Optimus out." He said slowly releasing the button putting his cylinder in a receptacle and moving out with Ironhide closing the door behind him.

* * *

><p>Twenty-five minutes later the Autobot medic stood outside the medical hanger doors arms folded proudly over his torso plate. Optimus stood beside him glancing through the doors as Ratchet smirked with satisfaction. "He's awake. He's in fairly good spirits. We're no where near done with the cosmetic changes, but you can talk to him before I finish his arms and torso." He told shaking his head slowly. "His scans are clean he's not carrying anything. He, like the rest of them, is slightly mal nourished but I can only imagine what they were putting in their tanks. His systems will come back to their full capacity after he's cleared out most of the stuff jamming up his lines." The medic put a hand on the Prime's shoulder. "I'll give you some time with him I'll be just outside."<p>

"Thank you Ratchet." Optimus said moving into the Medical hanger.

The black and white mech stood slowly off the medical berth; Optimus watched as he tested his legs looking back fondly at his door wings that fluttered slowly. He made them move in and out and seemed pleased with himself.

The mech looked down his long legs twisting to look back at them then looked up meeting Prime's gaze. The Cruiser reined himself in, standing erect, and saluted. "Sir."

"Prowl it's good to see you again." Optimus smiled.

Prowl merely waited. "Yes Sir." His hand moved to his side.

"At ease… This mission lasted far longer than I ever would have had thought." He shook his head. "You did fine work."

Prowl nodded as his stature slowly went slack. "Unfortunately Bumblebee didn't know it was me." Prowl said slowly. "I need to talk to him at his convenience."

Optimus nodded. "I'll arrange it." Optimus was quiet a long time. "I've got a dilemma."

"Jazz is gone I know I heard the mechs talking about it aboard the Nemesis. My injuries from the Mission City fallout prevented me from being in Egypt. Ironhide is your XO now. I am… well I suppose I shall leave what I am up to you."

Optimus' optics thinned slowly. "You were not at the mission city battle you left."

Prowl smiled fondly. "Yes Optimus I did." He looked down shuffling his foot once. "Shockwave was furious he nearly put me offline for that." Prowl looked up. "I must say though sir, with all due respect, being insubordinate has its privileges." He said lowly, and then he looked up. "At least with Shockwave any how." His chuckle died down and he looked up sadly. "What will you do with the others?"

"Starscream asked me that too." Optimus stepped forward.

Prowl folded his arms and leaned back against the berth. "I've known Starscream a long time." He looked to the left slightly. "We're not friends exactly but we're more than just soldiers."

"I know that's why I'm here."

"To see where my loyalties lie sir?" Prowl asked as though he already knew.

Optimus' helm turned to the side. "In so many words, but I don't think I have anything to worry about with you do I Prowl?" He shifted to the right.

"Sir I'm with you, I am an Autobot, the part of me that was Barricade was not going to last, and I knew that. I did not fight any of you if I did not have to. I made every earth drop I could with Intel." He looked up.

"Yes you did." Optimus reached out his hand. "Primus its good to see you, and it's good to have you back Prowl." Prowl shook the hand and smirked. "I'll be assigning you as the Decepticon liaison. " He said slowly. "As we integrate you back into the ranks. Slow and steady."

"Thank you sir I will do my best."

"I've got you a space with Ironhide if you'd like it a berth."

The cruiser looked up almost blankly. "With your permission I will remain with Starscream and the others for the time being. Until the others can become accustom to all this. The Autobots still may not trust me. Ironhide most of all."

"Only if that is your will, but know this; the Decepticons may not trust you either. Not after to return to them with the truth of who you are and what you've done."

"Yes it will be hard, I do not wish them to perceive that I was anything other than loyal in the end." Prowl gave a low sigh.

"Loyal in the end?" Optimus raised a brow.

"I helped with the evacuation of the Nemesis." He said calmly looking up at the ceiling as he tried to gather his thoughts. "I was trying to keep us all together. Safety in numbers." He looked down into Prime's optics. "We're all Cybertronians Optimus, I wasn't going to leave the lot of them to die, and especially Starscream who I am sure wanted to kill himself."

"Did he say that to you?" Optimus tipped his head curiously.

"He doesn't have to Optimus, he lost Megatron the first time and went into a rage, and this time he lost his spark." Prowl turned slowly. "You know how he felt about Megatron, but the glitch didn't return his feelings. Not really."

Optimus was silent taking all that in. "I suppose if you wish to stay with them I will not stop you."

"It is going to be most difficult, however; I need to look over the youngling." Prowl shifted slowly.

"The green one, what is his designation?" Optimus' weight shifted slowly from one foot to the next.

Prowl looked up "His name is Paddle-Shifter." He smiled "He was found on a Cybertronian settlement after the Decepticons,-" he looked down "After we destroyed it for it's resources." Prowl looked up, "I took him as my prize so they would not kill him."

"Are you bonded to him?" Prowl looked up with shocked optics at that question. "I must ask."

"He's my Hatchling if anything Prime, no I'm not bonded to him, I never would. He is for all intensive purposes my son."

"That's what Starscream told me." Optimus nodded. "I just wanted you to corroborate his story. Bumblebee will start to train the youth with Ironhide's supervision. Do you think he's ready for something like that?"

"I have taught him what I could, he is ready." Prowl was optimistic as he bow his head. "He will do well." Prowl was certain. "Thank you for giving him this opportunity."

Optimus waved a dismissive hand. "It is good to have you back Prowl." Optimus let himself smile only a bit. "It has been a long time."

"It is good to be back sir." Prowl let his door wings sag a bit, old friends having an old conversation; completely at ease. "I'll take this Energon over the swill they were serving any orn."

"I look forward to reading your report." Optimus chuckled as he turned. "Ratchet will escort you back to the Decepticon hanger when your cosmetic repairs are complete."

Prowl waited and watched as Prime left the dark hanger. He leaned back and waited a few minutes. Ratchet entered soon after Prime's exit. "That went well I believe." The police car seemed extremely pleased with himself. Turning as he spoke with Ratchet as the medic moved around him.

"He's not himself lately." Ratchet said slowly.

"He smiled, and laughed a bit." Prowl admitted sliding back up on the berth. "He seemed fine to me, but then again, he's was nothing but professional with me."

"He seems fine, but he's not." Ratchet nodded and reached over his torso attaching a scanner. "What's left to do huh?"

Prowl held up his clawed hands. "Get rid of the claws please I don't function very well with them. Though they are great weapons, it's hard to pick things up, it took me orns to manage it without being looked at like some fledgling hatchling." He chuckled fondly.

"Never heard you laugh before." The medic said calmly. "You've changed so much." Prowl shot him a concerned look. "That's not always a bad thing my friend." Ratchet explained softly. "Now if you don't mind; I'll start on your left arm." Prowl nodded and lifted up his hand looking up blankly at the ceiling as his cosmetic refit was continued.

* * *

><p>To be continued<p> 


	3. Is this home?

Surrender

Chapter 3: Is this home?

_Not as long as my last two but it does focus a lot on some very specific things that will come into question later. _

_Thanks for reading...Thanks for reviewing._

* * *

><p>Starscream looked up as the hanger door opened and Prowl stepped inside. The door sealed shut and was locked again. "Cade?" Paddle-shifter ran up. "What did they do to you?" The green mech looked confused and Prowl fought himself as to what to say but finally settled opening his mouth slowly as he spoke extremely calmly.<p>

"They put me back together." Barricade's dark voice came from the lithe body. "I am, and always have been; the Autobot known as Prowl." Honest to a fault he stood unashamed.

Hook stood up watching the mech with Paddle-Shifter, and Starscream shifted but didn't stand. His brow plate rose slightly almost amused by the concept. "You've been amongst us all for years." Hook said slowly. "I thought you were acting strange as of late. I knew it." He turned to Starscream. "I told you something was wrong."

"They sent you to spy on the Decepicons?" Shifter shook his head. "But… But why?"

"Yes I was best candidate I was the only one who could keep my composure." Prowl said. "And with the extreme amount of emotional and physical pressure this assignment required one to withstand." He paused. "I was the only one who could come through."

Starscream's optics thinned. "So that's why you left us in Mission city; when you ran it left us severely outnumbered. I didn't like your excuses, and certainly Shockwave didn't believe them either." He nodded. "I had a feeling you were a spy but never said anything. I've seen you kill Autobots, and Frenzy vouched for you."

"A deed that I deeply regret. Then again I killed many Decepticons under orders Sir. Frenzy was my friend." He said slowly. "As foul as he was we had an understanding." Prowl stepped forward putting himself between the elder Decepticons and the Green younger mech. "I will be working as the go between from the Autobots and ourselves."

"You're one of them." Hook said as if he should have known. There wasn't anything accusatory in his statement; it was almost a statement of pure shock. "You are not one of us." He said firmly as if he was coming to his senses.

"We are all Cybertronians." His black hand slid around Paddle-shifter's shoulders drawing the young mech forward beside him. "We're all the same people, for the sake of cooperation we must work together." Prowl stepped forward. "Most of them will not trust me as far as they can throw me, I belong here with Shifter." Prowl sighed and looked down at the younger mech. Prowl lifted his head he slowly shook his helm in quiet defeat to the exhaustion overtaking him. "I need to rest." He moved to the berth that had been his for the past week and touched it.

"You're staying with us?" Starscream asked almost surprised.

"As I have said…" He turned slightly looking over his shoulder. "I want to be near Paddle-Shifter, and like you all I am still under great suspicion from the other Autobots, they will trust Prime's judgment but he hasn't told them yet." The Cruiser said slowly his hands finding a solid place on his hips as he shifted his weight to his left leg from his right. "If I belong anywhere, it's here. We will be released to start working tomorrow. We're all Autobots now. It is high time we all got use to it." Prowl laid down and sealed his optics.

Hook shot Starscream an uneasy look but the seeker merely drew his legs up on his own berth. "Get some rest." He said to shifter and Hook, and both nodded. "We'll need it …for tomorrow." He said softly. "We shall be integrated, and then we shall begin to find our brothers."

Hook knew Starscream was conflicted and hurt, but he wasn't sure how this arrangement was going to turn out. The medic would only hope it would be for the best. "I'll never get use to this." Hook said blankly as he shuffled to his berth laying down

The next morning Paddle-Shifter stood with his hand up over his optics. "Their star is so bright."

"It's called the Sun." Prowl said quietly with a smile as they stood in the courtyard in a short line. As, one by one, they went up to Ratchet to get their cogs turned on. Prowl pushed Shifter up first. "All right young one left arm please."

The green mech complied lifting up his arm. Ratchet attached a tool for a few moments then detached it. "Next." Prowl and shifter moved on.

"What about yours?" Shifter asked.

"Mine's been on since yesterday." Prowl smiled. "You and I have been given a hanger together on the far side of the field."

"By ourselves?" Shifter asked.

"Yes Ratchet agreed to move in with Hook so that we might have a hanger together." Prowl smiled softly as they approached Ironhide.

"With whom is Screamer staying with?"

"Ironhide." Prowl smiled walking up it was the answer, and the greeting all in one.

"Hey Prowler …nice to see you."

"It's nice to hear you say that." He laughed softly. "I'm glad someone thinks so."

Ironhide shrugged. "Stay away from Sides for a bit, he's not big on humanity, and not on cons either, so you are not high on his welcome home list."

"Understood." Prowl smirked.

"Ah the youngling," Ironhide looked down. "You must be…"

"Paddle-Shifter sir but they just call me Shifter." He extended his hand.

Prowl smiled and reached up lowering the mech's arm. "He doesn't shake hands Shifter." Prowl pat the youngling's back.

Ironhide chuckled and turned. "You have a small force cannon." He stated but there was a hint of question as he looked up. "It's a pulse cannon is it not? Or is it a phase shift cannon?" He looked at prowl.

"It's a pulse cannon." Prowl said looking back to Shifter as he pointed into the field. "You are going to try to hit one of the small canisters."

Shifter looked up at him. "But why?"

"Don't question orders youngling." Ironhide murmured softly. "I need you to fire at the canisters." The small metal bars ran across the back of the firing range and held five red canisters per rod. He zoomed his optics in on them slightly and waited.

"He wants to make sure your targeting sensors are aligned." Prowl answered quietly. The young green mech gave a quick look to Ironhide who nodded at him. Taking a position along the white line Shifter hesitated a moment.

Lifting his left arm his primary cannon pulled from the top of the main opening and appeared. "Take slow easy aim. I want you to hit everything on the top row." Ironhide folded his large arms over his chest and waited as the young mech stepped forward noticing the yellow mech, Bumblebee, just beyond the south border of the field.

"All right." Shifter shifted his feet kneeling slightly his right foot planted before his left as if he were about to sprint. He knelt down and quickly took five shots.

Prowl smiled as the mechling stood and lowered his arm. "Well done."

"That's only three." Ironhide said slowly tapping a few things down on his data-pad. "We'll need to work with him."

"He's never used his cannon before…. three out of five on a first try." Prowl gave Ironhide a disapproving smirk, but put hand on Shifter's shoulder. "I'm very proud of you." He said slowly. "Once more second row."

"Okay." Shifter spoke brightly before his optics thinned in focus. He knelt down and started to fire again.

* * *

><p>Starscream stood just behind them about twenty-five yards. "He is very young." Optimus said stepping up beside the seeker.<p>

Starscream turned if only to judge the Autobot leader's position. "Yes Quite." He murmured. "Barrica-…" Starscream caught himself "Prowl will instruct him well."

Optimus nodded slowly. "Would you care to go for a flight?"

Starscream looked up "With you?" he laughed softly. "Why Optimus I did not know you were a comedian." He looked back at shifter who hit four out of five that that time. Ironhide knelt down and was appearing to look at his cannon, making adjustments.

"I was not joking Starscream. I could stretch my wings, and I know you could probably do so as well." Optimus reached up a hand and grasped the seeker's elbow joint and then pulled as he stepped ahead. After a moment he released the seeker. "Come along."

Starscream looked at Prowl and Shifter and then looked around at nothing before sighing and following the Semi out onto the tarmac.

* * *

><p>Hook watched as Starscream left with Optimus across the tarmac to a large trailer. "Where are those two off to?"<p>

Ratchet looked back a moment before looking back to the small crate he held in his hands with supplies. "Flying I would suspect. Since Optimus was refit with some of Jetfire's parts he has not had a seeker around to help explain some of the configurations. It's a good opportunity for him to get himself more acquainted with his flight systems." Ratchet looked up. "You and I have the largest hanger. It serves as both our home and the medical bay."

Hook looked at him and waited as Ratchet pulled the doors back. "Four repair bays for vehicular mode, and four berths, two small rooms and a central office which we will share." Ratchet smiled. "I've set you up with a computer and a few tools that you will need, you'll have your own space, and for the moment if you're more comfortable working on your own mechs that's fine." He walked forward setting the small crate down on the first berth.

"Do no Harm." Hook said slowly as though he was having trouble believing it, he was struggling just to accept all this.

Ratchet smiled fondly. "Yes of course… Do no harm." He agreed and reached out putting a hand on Hook's shoulder. "I'll show you to your room."

"Thank you I am…." Hook was without words.

"I know…you don't have to apologize to anyone." He stopped smiling. "Would you like to talk about it?"

Hook looked down. "I am unsure."

Ratchet smirked. "I know what will help…lets go to the office…and have a drink."

"If you think that is best." Hook said slowly, dejectedly.

"Doctor's orders." Ratchet smiled and pulled the reformed Decepticon along. "Finally someone who can understand my frustrations." He seemed relieved.

* * *

><p>The evening air was crisp as Starscream and Optimus began to put away Optimus' flight tech. It was late, or early depending on how one would look at it. Starscream stepped around slowly. "These thrusters are so dated." He said helping the large ground mech shuck them off his back.<p>

"They provide adequate lift." Optimus insisted.

"Tomorrow we'll have Hook look at them, there may be a way to increase your output." Starscream said with a smirk. "It will help with the turbulence."

"Very well." Optimus turned and grabbed up the two engines and pushed them into the ring of his fight and armory set up. Standing back he raised his arm. "Seal." He said softly and the trailer transformed back into its 53 foot trailer mode.

Turning back Optimus looked beyond to the hanger that had its door cracked open. Warm orange light poured out onto the tarmac in a thin line. "Will you be alright with Ironhide?"

"I will be fine." Starscream said. "I just hope he's alright with me." Optimus hadn't expected that. He shifted slowly and placed a hand on the seeker's shoulder. "If you have any trouble with him, you'll bring it to my attention." It was an order. Optimus didn't wait for a response before he turned and walked to his own hanger disappearing inside.

"Good evening to you too." Starscream murmured annoyed and turned making his way to the open hanger. He stood outside a long moment. "Stop being ridiculous." He told himself before reaching forward pulling the door back.

Ironhide sat on his berth holding a Data-pad. It lowered and he simply stared at the seeker in the doorway. Starscream lowered his gaze and entered closing the door behind him. "You and Prime enjoy your flight?" Ironhide laid the pad on his knee as he focused on the seeker.

"It was indeed enjoyable." Starscream said walking to the berth across from Ironhide and sat upon it. Ironhide gave a slow uncomfortable nod.

"That's' good I've been worried about Prime flying by himself." He muttered; small talk was not Ironhide's strong point. "If my light is bothering you I will turn it out." He said turning his blue eyes back to that of seekers Crimson ones.

"It does not bother me." Starscream said and pulled his legs up on the berth and rolled to the wall.

Ironhide nodded and looked back at his western novel and sighed. He couldn't just read while the other was recharging, even if it would give him some sick satisfaction. He tapped the pad on his knee twice as if considering what to do; before reaching up above himself to slide it on one of the metal shelves above the top of his berth. As he pulled his hand down he thumbed over the light toggle before putting his arms across his torso.

Sliding down he turned his back to the seeker, even though there was no privacy here, putting their dorsal plates toward the other gave an emotional sense of privacy. Ironhide set his proximity sensor to four feet and closed his optics to recharge in the darkness.

Starscream would lay for hours with his optics open his head swimming with questions. Was this worth it? Was it wrong to admit he enjoyed his flight with Optimus? Would he be able to live like this? He wasn't sure about anything, not just yet. He sighed out his vents quietly and shifted to his back rubbing his servo over his cockpit.

Turning his head to the right, he looked at the weapon's specialist's back. His scanners reached out around himself but he could still not tell if Ironhide was recharging or not. He grumbled to himself and rolled back over.

He finally told himself he was acting like a hatchling and sealed his optics forcing his systems into shut down modes so he could recharge.

* * *

><p>To be continued...<p> 


	4. Pitfalls

Surrendering

Chapter 4: Pitfalls

15 months and 45 missions later …..

* * *

><p>Starscream stood upon a perch looking down at the Autobots who flanked the canyon. He nodded and looked around. "Do you have a visual?" Ironhide's voice resonated in his audios over the communication relay.<p>

"Yes the driller is on the far side of the gorge." Starscream leapt up transforming. "It's a drone, but we'll put it in stasis and ready it for transport, it's very weak and far from sentient." The Raptor hovered over the far end of the gorge.

"Engage the driller." Ironhide's voice came over the line. "I'm right behind you." Starscream pulled up and around making a wide bank around the massive driller that was twice as big as Optimus and Sentinel combined and he took a sharp nosedive down toward the creature.

The driller's instincts kicked in and its tendrils lurched out grabbing the rock face as it activated its driller. Gathering purchase at an angle between the rock face and where the stone wall met the earth the driller began to dig into the stone.

Starscream prepared himself transforming quickly as he descended in a free fall. "Be careful!" Ironhide growled as the seeker's decent quickened. He was driving in close and he and Starscream would hit the driller at near the same time, which if his calculations were correct, and as far as he knew they were; the two would collide as they came at the driller.

"I will not hit you if that is what you are worried about." Starscream bit out as he folded his wings out slightly slowing his decent as he came down on the driller's back end. Claws digging into the rear frame of the creature Starscream growled trying to retain his purchase on the machine. Starscream looked up over the driller to the wall that was closing in on him fast. "It's going to tunnel!" He shouted.

Ironhide swerved and transformed grabbing onto the massive drill's side. "We're too close to the wall!" He yelled over the large engine of the drill. "We've got to stop it or abort!"

Starscream reached into the back of the driller and tried to anchor his sharp claws into the rear of the drill. "Stop…" he said slowly as if the word would will the creature to a halt; however, this did not work. "We've got to get to its command chamber!" The drill activated and within moments it was tunneling into the earth.

"Its already inside the rock face!" Ironhide growled reaching up pulling himself to the rear of the drill wrapping his arm around Starscream's hip and waist. "Let it go! We have got no chance to get through." Ironhide pulled on the seeker pulling his back against his chassis. "Screamer it will burry us!"

"NO!" Starscream growled determined not to let this driller they'd been tracking for four weeks get out of his grasp again. He dug his hands in deeper risking wedging them in tightly

"Let it go Starscream!" Ironhide crawled up slightly grabbing the seeker's wrist. Coming up against the rock face Ironhide wrenched Starscream's hands free. Ironhide had both hands on the seeker and when he pulled him free they came tumbling to the ground.

They rolled to a halt. Ironhide lay on top of the Seeker's chassis. The seeker below him groaned in frustration and pain.

Ironhide groaned as he opened his optics looking down into Starscrem's. They were quiet and still for a long moment just looking at one another. "Get off my cockpit Ironhide." Starscream said calmly. "Please." He added after the long silence between them.

Looking down Ironhide shook his head at the sight of the Raptor. Starscream's chassis was cracked in three places and his cockpit glass was shattered. He'd landed first and hard.

Sighing Ironhide pushed off the seeker's torso and turned away to right himself checking his weapons.

Starscream groaned as the weight of the pick up was relieved and he sat forward. "I apologize." Ironhide said slowly. "There was no other way to break you free from it."

Starscream sat up slowly with a nod. "Thank you for your assistance."

"When I tell you to let go next time, let go." Ironhide looked over his shoulder pointing to the earth. "I mean that." He frowned "You're like having a hatchling around…Impossible."

"Remember Ironhide that I do not fall under your purview." Starscream pushed up to stand fully on his legs. He reached up slowly to touch his shoulder joint. "Slagging rocks."

"I'm still the XO." Ironhide said sternly as he turned coming around the seeker. He lifted the seeker's hands looking at the damages along his knuckles and shook his head moving around the jet to assess the larger mech's damages. "Our team will be with us shortly. They are minutes out." He reached into the raptor's shoulder seam and pulled out a large rock tossing it behind them, before reaching back in to grab another rock chunk.

"I am aware of your position, and that of our team." Starscream said coldly.

"Maybe you should be more mindful of it." Ironhide grunted as he reached in again pulling another rock chunk from the back of the seams of the Seekers wing assemblage.

"Tonight." The word was quiet on Starscream's tongue but it did not escape the pick-up's audios.

Ironhide froze his hand stroking the metal wing joint affectionately. "I have patrol." He murmured against the seeker's back. "Tomorrow morning first light I'll come back to the hanger early." Ironhide came around to his front and put a hand on his arm. "Would that be acceptable to you?"

The seeker was trying to look put out but held a satisfied smirk. "It is acceptable." Starscream murmured putting his opposite hand upon Ironhide's. "Are we ever going to tell them?" Starscream asked the black mech.

"Not like it isn't obvious…. I'm certain Optimus knows something." Ironhide smirked and allowed his free hand to lift and run up along the hip joint of the seeker between the torso plate seam and the primary wing plate. "How is the canopy?" Ironhide's free servo ran over the rings of the canopy that held the glass in place.

"My cockpit is fine." The truck's touches elicited a groan from the F22 that the black mech had not anticipated. "Don't heat me up." Starscream warned pushing Ironhide's hands away. "I'm not easily cooled down."

"But I like to heat you up Screamer. You don't need to be cooled off you need to be worked up." The Black truck smirked and they started to draw closer but froze, their sense of security shattered as both picked up the sounds in the distance.

The sound of Engines approaching made the two separate. They broke apart as Optimus, Prowl, and Ratchet rolled up.

"You have to start listening to me. Remember that." Ironhide said firmly turning away. No he hated the seeker, if just a little, if just for show.

"Is everyone alright?" Ratchet asked after his transformation stepping forward. He pulled to Starscream first running a hand over the seeker's cockpit. "What did that?"

Ironhide stepped away from the seeker briskly. Starscream looked down at Ratchet. "I got landed on." He glared at Ironhide.

Ratchet turned to Ironhide who waved a hand. "I am undamaged take care of Starscream." He looked up at Optimus as Prowl stepped up slowly next to Starscream. "The digger got away, tunneled down into the earth. " Ironhide shook his head "We didn't get to it soon enough to prevent it from getting itself burrowed down." The weapons specialist reached down on the left side of his body a panel opening as he knelt down to pull a rag from the compartment that housed a large blade.

"You did not make to follow it?" Optimus inquired.

"The last time I tried you gave me Pit for it…no we didn't follow it." Ironhide said sarcastically.

Optimus gave a low nod. "Pack it up we're headed back to base."

Ratchet nodded and looked up at Starscream. "I'll have the replacement glass tomorrow and we'll switch that out…is it uncomfortable? Do you need something for the pain?"

Starscream smirked "I can bare it." He said slowly. "I'll be alright."

Ironhide turned back giving the seeker a quiet look, but when the seeker's own optics met his; he turned back to Prime swiftly. "Let's go home."

Optimus raised a brow and watched Ironhide walk off. Prowl stepped up into the black mech's vacant spot and smirked. "You going to talk to him?"

"I suppose I will have to won't I?" Optimus smirked.

"I'll talk to Starscream." Prowl said slowly. Quietly he added; "They can stop being all secretive about all this."

Optimus smiled down. "I will see you tonight at the human's bon fire."

"Yes sir you will." Prowl smiled and turned back to Ratchet who was helping Starscream pick up some small metal pieces that had flecked off his body. "Starscream can you fly?" he called out.

"I am flight capable yes." Starscream said slowly. "I'll meet you back at base." He handed the few small chipped off parts of his frame to Ratchet who put them into a medical case.

"Go slowly." Ratchet said calmly. "And stay low, we don't want your breaking up in the upper atmosphere."

"Very well." Starscream said and stood back transforming and rolling to an open part of the gorge where he would have sufficient space to take off from.

* * *

><p>The recreation area outside was abuzz with human soldiers. Sitting around their campfires telling stories. Starscream sat low on a crate to the back center of the field, alone.<p>

"So I told my brother: 'No you can't borrow my truck.' He thinks I hate him now." William Lennox took a drink from his beer and shook his head. "Ironhide would kill me if I used him to move my brother and all his junk."

"Would he really terminate your life?" Shifter asked softly leaning down at the waist to put his head near the humans who were talking. He was sitting on a small dirt rise with Prowl and Bumblebee.

William smiled and shook his head. "It's an expression Shifter. He wouldn't really kill me, but he'd be very put out."

"Oh well I would be happy to help your brother move his what did you all it…junk?" Shifter smiled.

Lennox turned slightly in his chair. "Shifter buddy I appreciate it but you're a hatchback." He laughed. Bumblebee slapped his knee and wobbled his head from side to side.

Shifter sat up. "Oh I see…" He looked slightly ashamed. "I apologize."

Sitting beside the youth Prowl chuckled softly. "It's not a problem Shifter it was kind of you to offer assistance to those who need it."

"Yeah Shift, your Heart was in the right place….or Spark I guess it is."

Prowl smiled as he stood up. "Stay here with Lennox and Bumblebee Shifter, and no more High-grade one is enough for your tanks."

Bumblebee looked down at Shifter and put a hand on his shoulder. "Thanks Bumblebee. I'll be back soon." Prowl moved slowly as he stepped around the small fire watching out for the humans underfoot. An Autobot had never stepped on a human, and prowl was going to make sure that lasted.

Shifting up a metal crate beside Starscream Prowl sat down. "How's the glass?"

Starscream looked at his cup. "It's not high-grade."

"I meant your canopy." Prowl turned.

Starscream reached up with his sharp claws and ran them over the cracked glass surface. "It doesn't really hurt Ratchet turned off my neural receptors to the canopy and most of my torso plate. It's numb."

"That is pleasant news." They sat in a long lingering silence. Starscream just sat there, and prowl watched the fire as he decided when to make his move. Prowl looked out at the humans seeing Lennox and his wife wrapped in a large blanket. "So…when are you going to talk about what's going on with you and Ironhide?" Prowl took a sip to occupy his hands.

Starscream blinked and paused the cylinder he was raising to his lips. "What did you say?" He waited a long moment staring at the cruiser's door wings with something akin to shock.

Prowl stood up with a satisfied grin on his face. "Ah you didn't deny it…. it's true than." He sat there for a long moment with a satisfied smirk on his face. Starscream just stared at the back of the Police Cruiser's helm and frowned. He didn't know how to broach this. He didn't know what to say, and for the first time in his life; the witty Starscream had no come back.

Prowl stood up and smiled at him. "I think that it's a good match." He nodded slowly as he turned his torso to the Raptor.

"I didn't ask you." Starscream said through clenched denta.

Prowl just spun on his heels turning back to where Shifter sat and nodded. "Of course you didn't." The cruiser laughed as he walked back to where the others sat looking down and nodding at some of the humans who spoke his name and waved up at him.

Optimus and Ironhide sat next to one another at the far end of the field up on Optimus' trailer. Ironhide's legs kicked slowly out and back his hands between his knees holding his Cylinder.

Ironhide's legs didn't touch the ground but Optimus' sat firmly in place. There was a small gouge in the dirt from where his left foot was sliding back and forth comfortably.

Optimus watched as Prowl walked over to the seeker, he kept focus on their facial expressions and gestures. He watched as Prowl then left shortly after their exchange. "What do you suppose that was about?" Optimus asked.

Ironhide looked up from the flames of the bon fire and shook his head. "What what was about?"

"Prowl and Starscream." Optimus broached the topic easy enough.

Ironhide shrugged lifting his cylinder to his lips. "Eh probably giving him a hard time, got his glass smashed today. Got roughed up." Ironhide took a long gulp of his Energon and lowered his glass.

"Was your report true? You landed on him?" Optimus sounded a bit amused.

"He wouldn't let go of the slagging thing I had to pull him off, we rolled." Ironhide shook his head. "Ratch'll patch him up tomorrow."

"Have your living arrangements with him been easy?" Optimus asked quietly. "If I need to reassign living quarters I will."

Ironhide waved a hand. "No we keep to ourselves."

"You're lying to me." Optimus held a satisfied smile. "You like him."

Ironhide looked up at Optimus. "And how's Prowl?" He jabbed.

Optimus turned his head and nodded. "Fine, Fine... We shall not talk about it." He conceded.

"Good I didn't think we were going there either." Ironhide said and shifted jumping down off the trailer placing his empty cylinder on top. "I have patrol anyway. I'll report in with Red Alert in an hour."

Optimus nodded. "Safe journey."

"And Safe Return." Ironhide trudged off with a hint of aggression.

Optimus looked across the grassy field, the humans were boisterous and their party was overflowing into adjacent buildings.

He dared a glance at Starscream who remained alone on his side of the fire. He seemed lost in thought. I was obvious something was bothering him and nothing was abating the deep confliction within him. The seeker stood leaving a cylinder on the metal crate he had been sitting on and turned into the vacant field.

Optimus was not one to let one of his mechs, especially not a former Decepticon, go on in such a dejected state stood up to move after him.

Optimus found Starscream standing in the back of the emergency landing strip. A large grass field that was held aside for emergency landings his helm sank a bit but he tracked along the horizon seeing the Top Kick speed off into the distance on his night patrol.

"You don't have to hide it." Optimus said firmly. This drew the seeker's head up his optics pitched around slowly. "It's not against our policies." Optimus explained, as his hands seem to gesture out. "He's been feeling very alone since Sideswipe and him had a rough patch."

"He was with the corvette?" Starscream asked looking over slightly then looking up at the stars.

"No, Sideswipe did not reciprocate his feelings." Optimus vented a sigh looking up at the same sky. "The stars of this planet are so foreign." He nodded. "But I do believe that they from this vantage, this planet; are the most beautiful of all the stars in the universe." He waited a long moment in the silence. "Would you not agree Starscream?"

The jet gave a slow easy nod. "I do not wish for our…forays to interfere with our work."

Optimus took a drink from his cylinder and smiled. "Than see that it does not." He admitted. "There will be nothing to worry about."

"That's easy for you to say."

"It is. Prowl and I-"

"Prowl?" Starscream turned and blinked. "You and Cade…"

Optimus nodded slowly. "It's simple companionship at this juncture." He smiled. "If it turns to more it will, if it does not, it was not meant to be."

"I wish you would make up your mind about how you wish to be. Sometimes you're an emotionless slagger, and sometimes you're extremely courteous." Starscream said firmly. "I can't stand it sometimes."

"It is your right not to agree with me or my ways." Optimus put a hand on the Seeker's shoulder. "As long as you stay within the rules of this outfit, follow orders, and do what is asked of you…you don't have to like anything really." Optimus smirked. "That's what being an individual is all about. That also means that you may love who you wish."

The seeker tensed under Optimus' hand. "I didn't say I loved him."

Optimus merely smiled. "You didn't have to."

Starscream looked at him and was at a loss for words as he looked out in to the distance. It was nothing they'd said to one another, it was nothing he was going to say to Ironhide. "That obvious huh?"He sounded grim.

He didn't get a response from Optimus as they stood there looking up to the heavens.

* * *

><p>To be continued<p> 


	5. Broken

Surrender

Chapter 5: Broken

_There are quite a few notes this chapter. Sideswipe is written as he was in nefarious the comic book, he's against humans, and against cons. He talks down to humans if anything. The other change is Sunstreaker, he's mentioned as a traitor to the Autobot cause, which happened in the IDW comic books. _

_Sunstreaker as far as everyone is concerned was killed in an incident with a spacebridge in order to get the Autobot troops off of Cybertron; his last act of penance for his betrayal to his faction. _

_You can see Sunstreaker show BACK up in the series not dead in the Ironhide mini-series comic._

_Please read and review this chapter was to address multiple mails and questions about Starscream's motivation. We're going to go through it slowly together. So hang on for the ride. _

_3 – Felina _

* * *

><p>Shifter back peddled slowly. "Look I just asked a question." His hands were raised in defense, as his head moved back and forth with each back step of his feet.<p>

"You keep your filthy little Decepticon traitor hands off me." Sideswipe said with a low growl as he bore down on the youngling.

Ironhide rolled into the main gate just before dawn to see the silver corvette staring down the green youth. Ironhide transformed and was about to intervene where he saw Starscream march forward from behind their hanger. "That will be quite enough Sideswipe." Starscream stepped between Paddle-Shifter and the silver mech. "He's not doing anything wrong."

"You keep your Decepticons to yourself." Sideswipe said angrily.

"He was never a Decepticon." Starscream shook his head. "He's too young to remember the war starting." He rolled his optics. "He's as much to blame for our wars as the humans, but you seem content to blame both." He shook his head crossly. He looked down at Shifter. "What did you need youngling?"

"I was to report for a training patrol with Bumblebee ….I only asked him where be was." Shifter said honestly. "I can't find him."

Starscream turned and moved with shifter away.

"Coward!" Sideswipe said raising his fist.

Ironhide smiled as Starscream kept walking, point to the seeker for staying out of trouble. He moved forward allowing the seeker to be out of sight before he was seen my Sideswipe. "Rough morning?" Ironhide asked.

"Yeah that con spawn asked me where to find Bumblebee." He shook his head. "Bad enough we have to deal with the humans." He grimaced. "But to live with cons…I'm glad I get to bunk with Bee."

"Sides." Ironhide said firmly with warning in his tone. "Drop this Primas Forsaken act." He shook his helm. "You're making yourself look like a fool." He stepped toward his hanger. "And Screamer was right that youngling had nothing to do with our war. Lay off him."

"Oh so it's Screamer now is it?" Ironhide froze. "What next you going to frag him?" Ironhide was about to turn on his heels and storm right back up to the young warrior, but he did not.

Though in that moment, any residual feelings for the mech that he had once carried dissolved like Skid's body in Sentinel's cannon. It was hard to witness but when it was over the only thing he felt was numbness.

"Sideswipe!" Optimus appeared on the tarmac. The corvette's head ducked slightly as his name was called out in the early dawn. The Silver mech turned to the leader and began to walk toward him, and Ironhide just continued to his hanger trying to keep his composure.

* * *

><p>Ironhide sat down on the berth; he and Starscream had pushed their individual berths together and welded them in place so they could sleep beside one another. It was in the center rear of the hanger.<p>

Starscream entered. "I apologize for not being here upon your return I had to take Shifter to Bumblebee, today is his first patrol." The seeker drew shut the doors.

"I saw what happened with Sideswipe." Ironhide said looking up.

"He is just upset." Starscream said slowly as if not wanting to talk about it.

"It's not just that." Ironhide shook his head. "I don't know if you know this but his brother worked with the Decepticons, his brother was a traitor to the Autobot cause." Ironhide shifted over as Starscream sat down beside him. "He's hurting kind of holds it over every Deception's head." It was the truth even if Ironhide hated it.

"That's no excuse for such language in front of Barricade's offspring, or such treatment of his fellow Autobots." Starscream looked down and shook his helm. "We will never fully integrate until all members accept us, he is our only hurdle."

Ironhide looked up at him. "Perhaps his conduct was not the best." He murmured.

"You think?" The rhetorical question made the truck chuckle slightly. Starscream sighed and stood as if he was restless, fidgety. He kept rubbing his severely scratched up hands together.

"Starscream?" The seeker turned and raised a brow. "I want to talk to you about something."

"What?" Starscream turned folding his hands over his torso so he'd stop touching them.

"It's about what happened yesterday in the gorge. Do you have some sort of Death wish?" Ironhide asked with thinning optics. "I need to know."

"No." He sounded almost insulted by being asked. "Why?"

"Because you didn't let go of the driller." Ironhide looked up. "I told you to let go." The truck leaned back slightly. "I suppose I just want to understand your motivation for holding on like you did."

"I had it in my gasp, I wanted to prove I could stop it." Starscream sounded very passionate. "I was tired of tracking it I wanted to be done with it."

"But you couldn't stop it." Ironhide said slowly. "And you wouldn't let go."

"If you hadn't pulled me away-"

Ironhide stood up pointing a finger at the seeker his voice slightly raised but muffled through gritted denta. "If I hadn't pulled you down you'd be dead." He said insulted. "Then were would I be?"

Starscream shook his head. "Of course this is about you." He moved to their desk and reached down straitening the data-pads all over its surface. "Why would it matter if my life was forfeit or not?" Sarcasm laced every word. He rolled his optics and made a non-committal hand gesture.

Ironhide growled, "Do not do that." He said slowly. "Do not make this about me or you…I am talking about us. I didn't want to loose you!" He said coming up along the side of the seeker. "I…We've put too much into this." He said gesturing to Starscream than back to himself.

Starscream shook his head. "What about us? There is no us!" There was venom in his voice as he pushed away. "You're still not over the insanely rude muscle car who won't let you tussle with him. And because you like him so much you won't defend yourself about me to him?" That threw a rod. "He calls you out with the truth and you walk away! You might as well have denied that I heat your gears every night."

It came unbidden as the insult hit him square in the spark. "Like you're over Megatron?" Ironhide stood staring him down. "Primas I might be mistaken but isn't he dead?" Sarcasm from Ironhide was seldom heard but it was raw, and it was filled with blame and accusation. Ironhide wanted it to hurt.

And it had.

Starscream stiffened and wouldn't let the other see that it had broken something within him. Grabbing up his reader with his books loaded onto it he pressed for the door. He opened it and sealed it.

Ironhide hadn't tried to stop him, he hadn't said anything until he looked around himself and replayed the last few statements over in his mind. "Slagit." He shook his head and sat back down. He looked to the side and kicked a small metal crate across the room.

Maybe Starscream was right, maybe he wasn't over Sideswipe; however the corvette's display this morning wasn't sitting well with him, and he couldn't think of a reason to want to pursue him in the slightest. Why had he said that…why had he intentionally tried to hurt one of the primary things he cared about? Did he really care about the seeker? What was becoming of him?

His mind drifted back to the seeker. He turned on his communication relay. "Screamer come back…" There was no response only static. He sighed and lay back in the berth closing his optics he shook his head. He turned his head to the left and didn't like the empty space he saw when he opened his optics. "You've done it now haven't you?" he asked himself rhetorically.

* * *

><p>Outside the primary hanger he stood, because he'd been summoned. He vented a long frustrated sigh. He'd been on all night patrol and was trying to get some berth-time in but he still could not recharge. He raised his fisted hand and knocked twice before reaching for the access handle and pulling the door back slowly.<p>

He entered Optimus' hanger quietly and cleared his vocals, closing the door behind himself. Optimus looked up and tipped his head to the side discarding his data-pad on the crate beside his makeshift chair. "I spoke with Sideswipe." He said firmly. "He should be apologizing to Shifter." He said motioning to the other seat.

Ironhide sat down and just looked at the floor before him. "He should apologize to Starscream too."

"And yourself no doubt." Optimus leaned forward. "Where is Starscream?" He asked bluntly changing the subject. "Where did he go after this small confrontation?"

"I …do not know." Ironhide said honestly. "We got into a thing after he came back to the hanger." he waved his hand and then just shook his head looking away.

"A thing?" Optimus asked curious brow rose. "Would you care to elaborate on that?"

"A fight." Ironhide said slowly. "He took his books and left." Ironhide sighed tension falling out of his plates as he sunk. "I don't know where he ran off to." He looked at Optimus. "I said some. …Things I regret." A long pause before he spoke again. "I deeply regret."

"Do you believe he will return?"

"I am unsure, but I don't think he'd leave Hook, Prowl, or Shifter here without telling them he wasn't returning." Ironhide said slowly leaning back in his seat. "I still haven't recharged."

Optimus nodded. "Go back to your hanger and try to recharge." Optimus said slowly. "I will task Red Alert with finding the seeker." He said softly.

"Optimus…." Ironhide turned his helm to face his friend and shook his head in hopelessness. He couldn't find any words.

"We shall find him." Optimus said very optimistically. "You go get some rest, see Ratchet if you have to."

Ironhide took a slow breath through his dorsal intake, the plates fluttered softly. "All right." He conceded. "I'll go see Ratch." He said slowly. "Have Prowl take my duty shift tonight I don't think I can…." He couldn't finish.

"Guilt is a terrible berth mate." Optimus said knowingly. "But don't let him rule you, over power him and get back what you've lost." Ironhide had stood while Optimus was speaking. "Because if you let the guilt win, you'll never be able to mitigate what's been done."

"I…Understand." Ironhide said slowly. "Thank you."

"Thanks are unnecessary." Optimus smiled at him. "I'll let you know when he's been located."

Ironhide blinked and look back. "Try the gorge." He murmured. "Where the driller got away." He turned pressing out of the hanger quickly.

Optimus reached up flipping on his communication relay. "Optimus to Red Alert."

"This is Red Alert." The calm and cool response came.

"Give me a new scan of the gorge, we're looking for Starscream." Optimus said slowly. "He's run off."

"When he is located what are your orders?" Red Alert asked calmly.

"Just inform me of his location, I will retrieve him myself."

"Yes Sir." Red Alter responded and cut communication.

* * *

><p>"That's a fancy weld job just to recharge next to one another." Ratchet said slowly setting out a few tools. "I'm going to put you into recharge the medical way, it's sort of like a low level induced stasis."<p>

"All right." Ironhide said ignoring the comments about the welded together berths.

"You two have been interfacing your systems?"

"Every night for two weeks straight at first. Now it's every few nights if we're lucky." He said slowly. "With my schedule and his we're not in the berth together very often."

"Full firewalls?" Ratchet pushed the black mech back on his back.

"Yeah full firewalls."

"Spark merges?" He asked again down the long list of medical queries.

"No, we just hooked ourselves into a feedback loop to establish overload." Ironhide said slowly. "I just…" he looked away.

"It's nothing to be ashamed of." Ratchet said slowly. "We all need comfort from someone now and then." He lifted the half grill plate on Ironhide's torso and looked down inside. "Okay, I'm going to inject a bit of this sedative into a line leading to your spark chamber, it will reduce your spark activity." He readied the line and the fluid he was about to inject into the chamber line. "Then you'll count backwards, and drift off. I'll unhook you and leave you in peace, you may come back online slightly dizzy but it should, after a short time subside."

Ironhide nodded. "I'm ready." He said calmly looking up at the ceiling of the hanger looking at each and every crossbeam trying to keep the seeker out of his last thoughts before he drifted off but that, he knew, was going to be impossible.

* * *

><p>Optimus landed quietly right foot than left into a step as his wing slats folded down along his back strut. He smiled seeing the seeker sitting on the edge of the gorge, the hole where the driller had escaped below him, he held his data pad reading. "I thought I might find you here." Optimus said slowly.<p>

The pad lowered into the seeker's lap. "What do you need Optimus?" He was trying to keep the shake out of his voice.

"To speak with you." Optimus said as a matter of fact. His steps stalled slightly and he closed his optics willing the wing blades to transform up into a sort of backpack so he could sit down next to the seeker. "Ironhide regrets what was said between you." Optimus leaned down placing a palm on the earth as his legs settled down on the ground feet over the edge of the gorge wall.

"Did he put you up to this?" Starscream shook his head in anger.

"No, he was on Patrol all night and had been up the entire previous solar cycle. Ratchet is sedating him so he can recharge, he needs it after two solar cycles."

Starscream nodded. He supposed that was a logical excuse Ironhide had been pulling double, and triple patrol shifts as of late to make time to be with him. "Did he tell you what was said between us?"

"No." Came Optimus' reply. "He did not speak in specifics. However, I say again; he regrets what he said …deeply."

"Did he tell you that?" Starscream asked coldly.

"Yes, but so did the Matrix." Optimus said and ran his thumb over his chest. "You two are greater than the sum of this small inconvenience." He murmured. "It's time for you to come back to base, it's time for the two of you to set right this little incident and put it behind you both."

Starscream shook his head but didn't ask why. Optimus didn't need further prompting. "You must, because as well as you both work alone, you're much stronger together." He admitted. "Your focus has changed, you both took on more tasks, and you became a more cohesive team. Though you both are loath to admit it."

Starscream grimaced. "Ironhide is not solely focused on his work, and you are enjoying yourself more, you even smile occasionally." Starscream closed his optics. "I know what Megatron meant to you, but could it possibly be that Ironhide means more?" The question was hard to hear.

Starscream reached up clicking off his reader and slid it into a small compartment in his torso. "Thank you for your insight Optimus. I appreciate your concern." The seeker wouldn't open up more, but Optimus had planted a seed; the seed of doubt.

Optimus nodded and watched as the seeker jumped down into the gorge to transform mid fall, flying away into the southern sky. His communicator pinged. "Did you find him sir?"

"Yes Red Alert I have, we're on our way back." Optimus stood and shook his shoulders as his wing slats began to unfold and fan out. "Optimus out." And he knelt slightly, activating his thrusters, before jumping into the sky.

* * *

><p>To be continued<p> 


	6. Intellectual Back Scratching

Surrender:

Chapter six: Intellectual Back Scratching

_I was going to post this yesterday but I felt it was LACKING something so I kept hold of it and found out what I was missing tonight. I hope you all enjoy the sixth installment of Surrender._

Starscream entered his shared hanger slowly. The berth in the back was hidden behind large plastic screens used to block off the aircraft that were once housed in these hangers.

Now, they were used as wells to separate living areas and berth areas for the mechs. Starscream looked this way and that as he pulled the door closed quietly behind him. He took slow even steps to the curtain and pulled back the plastic slightly peering in with one optic.

Ironhide lay silent on his left side, optics slightly open though dark, as he recharged. He was facing the inside of the berth, a hand lying over the empty spot where the seeker would usually reside.

One hands still clutching the edge of the curtain the seeker sighed. As he watched the dark mech, he took note of the silver facemask that was readily in place, the gold seams that ran up his face and into the upper part of his cat-like helm. He looked away then back to the berth. His optics caught by the gold lines that rand under the optic shields of Ironhide's face. The seeker loved the dark façade.

Turning his head away a moment he considered the realization. He loved what he saw; it heated up his frame and caused tremors in his spark. He wouldn't be a coward, he wouldn't run this time or let any number of other things rule his decisions. He would be strong.

Turning back he stepped forward and pulled the curtain closed. He watched Ironhide seriously as he moved to his side of the berth. He sat down slowly and looked back. Ironhide didn't so much as shift, but Ratchet had spoken to him on the tarmac when he landed that the brute was sedated.

Starscream pulled in his shoulders and his wings collapsed in on themselves slowly making him less triangle shaped and more square, and he rolled his legs onto the berth and turned taking the slack hand and moving it slowly.

Starscream's helm lowered and he considered for a long moment letting the warrior's slack hand fall, but the seeker kept it closed in his. He held it, and sealed his optics and tired to recharge.

* * *

><p>Ironhide's optics fluttered open with a groan. Looking around the world was blurry and his HUD was trying to right itself. The lag when bringing up his scanners was mind numbing.<p>

But something caught his attention first. His hand was being held. Turning his head to the side his vision began to clear. Starscream lay beside him deep in recharge and rolled on his side facing the pick up. "Screamer?" Ironhide rolled to face the seeker reaching out his free hand to touch the silver face. "Starscream." He murmured. His facemask lowered down over the front of his neck and then sunk down into his chassis away.

The seeker's optics fluttered open at the shunting sound, and the mechs lay silent for a long time. They just stared at one another. As if keeping the silence was the most important thing at the moment. The diesel pick up felt the raptor's hand tightening around his own as his head finally started to clear of the groggy fog.

Ironhide didn't know what to say as he drew himself closer their chassis flush against one another. He shook his head one final time to try to get rid of the static in his audios.

Starscream's mouth found his first and they moved slowly kissing and feeling each other. It was a sensual dance, one they'd never tried, and it was new and it reached a crescendo as they started to warm against each other as their first strong kiss broke into more numb silence.

There was something so right about this in Ironhide's mind. His want was extreme, and the seeker though moving slowly, wanted it just as much as he did.

This was different then all the other times that Starscream had pinned Ironhide to the berth. Ironhide had always submitted for the seeker's comfort, but that was going to end now. Ironhide was intent to claim his prize. Their nights of rough cycling and overload were over and Ironhide was going to prove to the seeker what this meant to him.-

Starscream lowered and kissed along the truck's jaw, and it released a purr from Ironhide. There was no rush, and Ironhide made the play he hoped he wouldn't regret. It could go one of two ways, Starscream would agree, or he'd refuse, but he was too into this not to want to try.

Pushing Starscream back Ironhide took the dominant position over the seeker. Starscream didn't appear to be arguing but then again his lips were otherwise occupied against Ironhide's jaw as he was rolled backward to his back-strut.

Plates shifted in their awkward dance and cables extended from their torsos reaching for the other. Ironhide captured the seeker's lips again but they broke apart just as their cables drew together linking their bodies. "Screamer…." He looked down into the crimson optics and couldn't speak the apology in his spark.

"Me too." Starscream whispered and they kissed again pressing their bodies tighter together. As their lingering kiss broke the seeker looked up. "Us." He said with soft reverence.

"Us." Ironhide said revving his engine hard, as the seeker moaned and arched up his wing flaps that held a place along his upper arms began to tremble. Ironhide revved up again and the seeker's engines began to let out a low climbing whine as the charge between them build up. "Stings…"

"Keep cycling." Starscream whispered softly reached up between their bodies holding Ironhide's helm in his clawed hands. "Almost …almost…"

Ironhide forced himself to hold fast, he sunk against the jet's already cracked torso and reached around him pulling his shoulders firmly. The seeker was larger and could hold the charge longer than he could but he was determined, if not for the mind-blowing overload than for Starscream, to hold on. Their torsos began to tremble and Ironhide heard as mush as he felt the popping in his chassis of the circuits frying. "Let go Screamer."

Starscream pushed his lips to Ironhide's as the two of them released the torrent of cycling energy between them. It cascaded down their systems and they didn't care who heard their groans and moans of ecstasy. Starscream arched into the kiss and Ironhide pushed him back trying to keep control of their rattling bodies.

As soon as the euphoria had come, it had gone. Ironhide rolled off the seeker and gasped for breath; his vents hurrying to catch up with him. "Primus." He laughed a bit as he smiled.

Starscream turned his head and his arm flopped over to Ironhide. Extending his claws the seeker ran his knuckles over Ironhide's torso plate. "The was delightful." He hissed out softly as he arched his hips trying to get comfortable. "Mmm midnight." He said knowingly looking up at their dingy skylight that was deep dark black.

"My favorite time of day is when the humans sleep." Ironhide smirked lifting a hand to take the clawed hand against him and smirked. "We good?"

"Yes…" Starscream closed his optics. "We are fine."

"Good." Ironhide reached to his right to gather up his data pad and pulled it over turning it on. "Screamer?"

The seeker's optics didn't open but he let out a knowing sound that he was listening. "Hmmm?"

Ironhide smirked and squeezed the clawed hand. "Lets make sure we get you to Ratchet tomorrow ok?" He smiled and let out a contented sigh. "One of us will have to explain the hole."

Starscream's optics opened and he looked down. Sure enough the canopy had fully collapsed and glass chips littered their berth. "Slag."

Ironhide chuckled and shifted "Sit up and I'll help you get them all out." He smiled but paused. "If you would like assistance."

Starscream looked down then looked directly into Ironhide's optics. "I would welcome your assistance." Ironhide had to smile at that; it really did make it the perfect end to this whole Primas forsaken ordeal.

Ironhide smiled as he watched the seeker roll his legs off the berth. Ironhide smirked as he stood up from his side of the bed and rubbed his chassis. "That was quite a charge disbursement Screamer."

"You held on longer." Starscream said slowly.

"You helped." Ironhide walked around the berth and moved to his worktable and grabbed up his wire tweezers. "Sit up straight for me." Starscream adjusted his posture stiffly. Kneeling between the seekers knees the dark mech looked up. His hand shifted over and ran along the side of the seeker's arm. Starscream for his part closed his optics and turned his head toward the touch. "You're fascinating." Ironhide murmured softly.

"Trying to coddle me are you?" Starscream opened his optics letting out a soft chuckle.

"I would think you would consider a complement to be intellectual back scratching." Ironhide laughed and leaned forward and began to slowly pull out the glass shards one at a time. "You are a bit selfish like that."

"Where did you get that gem of a statement?" Starscream shifted a bit, he would not contest his vanity.

"One of Lennox's fortune cookies."

"Ah, well…. points to the human who came up with such a statement…it is very-" after a moments consideration the seeker laughed. "Very Apt."

Ironhide chuckled but kept working.

* * *

><p>Prowl smiled up into the Prime's luminescent optics. "I'm glad we could spend some time together." Prowl said huskily as they drew closer to one another.<p>

They were seated on the long crate of the far wall of his hanger. Their hands interlaced and their helms coming down to meet, and for Prowl it seemed like it was taking forever just to kiss the larger mech. Oh did he want to, his door wings fluttered involuntarily.

They came together almost unsure as the small chaste kiss turned into more confident ones, more powerful ones. Prowls hands roamed Optimus' chassis and each pulled sounds from the other they hadn't heard in a stars age, not from anyone else, and certainly Prowl had not heard them from himself. Their evening was perfect, and it would have stayed that way save for the unforeseen circumstances that would divide their time.

The hanger doors flew open without warning. Optimus and Prowl didn't have time to move apart but their lips separated and they looked at the door where Sideswipe stood. "Little fragger shot Bumblebee and ran off." He said slowly. "Was aiming for me." He shook his head. "Bumblebee got in the way and took the hit…I want to go after him."

"Wait a moment… Shot Bumblebee?" Prowl stood pulling out of the Prime's arms. "Shifter?"

"Yeah, and when I catch that little slagger." Sideswipe punched his fist into his palm.

"Enough." Optimus stood his voice enough to slacken the silver corvette's posture. "Sideswipe escort Prowl to command…." He turned to Prowl addressing him directly. "Stay with Red alert and Sideswipe, the rest of us will bring him back." Prowl nodded.

"But boss I want a piece of him!" Sideswipe protested.

"Until your attitude toward your fellow Cybertronians and the humans who allow you asylum improves; you are remanded to base." Optimus pressed pass the corvette. "Escort Prowl To Red-Alert and begin terrestrial scans of the entire area. Inform Colonel Lennox and get Miss Mearing filled in on the situation. We may need her to run interference for us. " Before the protests could fly he was walking away.

Optimus swiftly Jogged for the next hanger over and tapped on the door. "It's open!" Ironhide said still knelt down pulling shards of glass away with what resembled human tweezers out of Starscream's chassis as he sit on the edge their berth.

Optimus entered slowly moving to the back of the hanger. He pulled the curtain back slightly. "Shifter has run off, he shot Bumblebee, I've radioed Ratchet and he said it's not life threatening."

"What?" Starscream stood up slowly glass pieces fell with gravity as he sat and make soft settling noises in his body. "Shot Bumblebee?"

Ironhide stiffened. "That's what I said…I need you both to help me find him. If you're up to it." The question focused on Ironhide.

"I'll get on it right away Prime." Ironhide turned to Starscream. "Get to Hook, how long do you think it will take him to get that glass replaced?"

"Less than thirty minutes." Starscream said slowly standing up.

"Good.' Optimus said as he turned on his heels. "Get it fixed and the minute you're in the air radio me, we have to find him."

Ironhide looked around slowly. "If we find him." They all moved for the door.

"He is young and naïve this is a great advantage…there's a hope he gets close to a mobile Energon detector without seeing it." Starscream said slowly. "He doesn't know how to properly shield himself, have Red-Alert scan for low levels of radiation, he'll give off higher readings than we do because he doesn't know how to shield them."

"That's a good idea." Ironhide agreed.

"Get to it." Optimus said pressing out the doors and toward his waiting flight tech trailer.

Ironhide stopped Starscream before he could get to far. "Come back to me."

The seeker gave a curt nod. "Then we'll return to the intellectual back scratching?"

Ironhide released the seeker and smiled. "All you like." He turned and made for the edge of the tarmac where human vehicles were assembling. "Group Alpha! Stay on my tail pipes we're going into town! Group Beta you're going to the green sector just on the outskirts to cover it and the two-mile perimeter. " Ironhide pointed to the left. "Optimus will be covering and coordinating from the air, and Starscream will join him soon, if you find him POP a flare and report in to Red Alert Via your emergency channels. Do not engage him, wait for Autobot support. Good Luck and dismissed!"

Ironhide swung his hand around over his helm and Optimus nodded and moved to the open tarmac to find room to lift off from. The pick up transformed and opened his doors for William Lennox and three of his men.

"I was sound asleep too…" One of the men said slowly.

"Yeah we all were…Lets go Hide." Lennox pat the dashboard and Ironhide's headlamps flew on and his engine revved.

* * *

><p>To be continued...<p> 


	7. The search

Surrender

Chapter 7: The search

_I am SO sorry for how long this took, honestly it's been finished for a star's age, but I just didn't have the right moment to post it. Also insight into Red Alert! :D I hope you enjoy it! _

_Reviews are welcomed and appreciated. Thank you. _

* * *

><p>He was hunched down behind a rock face. "Courage." He said slowly to himself. "Courage." But he was having trouble believing the words that he strove to feel. He held the blaster firmly between two hands digits laced around it's grip, his index digit shaking on it's trigger. "Courage." He repeated slowly. "Oh primus I killed Bumblebee." The small mech trembled. "Primus please don't let them find me. It was an accident, I'm so sorry." He begged his quiet repent as he sat huddled; scared. His plates rattled as he tried to force calm down.<p>

"SHIFTER!" His name was called out in the darkness. "Paddle shifter!" It was Prowl his voice was shaky too, but rife with concern.

The hatchback sealed his optics tightly. He tried to will away the voice.

"Is he here?" Optimus voice caught Shifter's audios.

"I believe so yes." Prowl lifted his forearm. "All Decepticons, like Autobots have a homing chip, I just had to reactivate the one hook put in him. It lead us here but its accuracy is …well it's not very accurate, he could be ten meters, ten yards, or a mile away." Prowl raised his arm in frustration. "This is such unreliable technology." He looked back. "Is the thruster ok?"

"Blew it a mile above the ground, it was a rocky landing but I'm fine." Optimus said slowly. "I'll just have to drive back."

"Not always a bad thing." He looked at his scanner and shook his head. "he's here Optimus, I just have to see if I can adjust this things range, shrink it's search band." He said. "I may be able to pin point Shifter with more ease."

Shifter's optics turned to saucers. They could find him, and if they did he'd be toast. Pushing up the small vehicle leaned forward transforming and driving off into the distance. He was making a mad dash.

Optimus and Prowl's heads shot up at the same time at the sound of the engine and the screeching tires. "Go." Optimus said. "You'll catch him a lot faster than I can on the ground."

"Agreed." The mustang turned and transformed his engine revving high. "Follow my signal Optimus."

Prowl was beyond audio shot as Optimus transformed and sighed "Always." Kicking into gear he followed the signal of the mustang that sped along the main highway in pursuit of his youngling.

* * *

><p>Shifter sped down the dirt track and skid sideways as he hit the main road. His tires adjusted to the blacktop and he began to pick up speed. "I see him." Starscream reported in. "He's on the highway, there are few humans around, this is the best time to intercept him."<p>

Prowl sighed over the radio. "Don't damage him Screamer."

"I shall not Barricade do not worry. " Starscream took a nosedive down to the ground transforming and landing on the black top in front of the small car.

Paddle Shifter had no time to react as the mass of Raptor landed in his path. The two door hatchback turned his wheels sharply and pulled himself in, causing him to break quickly off the road, as he transformed and rolled into the pasture near the road, taking out a small fence that held back the cattle that seemed content to stand some 100 yards away in the pasture.

"Easy youngling." Starscream stepped forward and waited.

Paddle shifter back peddled in fear. "I didn't mean to kill him!" He said in defense. "It was an accident!"

Starscream rolled his eyes. "Bumblebee is not dead you Primas forsaken youngling." He shook his head and moved forward taking the young mechs blaster. With his free hand Starscream hoisted the smaller mech to his feet. "Stay put." He demanded "Prowl will be here soon to collect you."

"Bee's not dead?" Shifter closed his optics and collapsed again to the ground. "Thank Primus."

Starscream rolled his eyes and folded his arms. "You have destroyed the containment for the cloven hoofed creatures." Looking down, his foot nudged what was left of the wood post and barbed wire fence.

"He's alive." Shifter was filled with relief.

Starscream rolled his optics again at the youngling. "Don't be so dramatic." He sighed and looked up at the sirens in the distance and the flashing lights of the cruiser that was speeding in their direction. "Take solace that you didn't squash the bug. There would be a worse fate than what's to come."

"What's to come Starscream?" Starscream said nothing and looked away. "What's to come?" The hatchback asked as his relief turned back into fresh fear of the unknown.

Starscream didn't answer him he merely looked down at his chest and smiled at his repaired canopy. He thumbed over the seal around the cockpit and watched the horizon from the other direction. Ironhide was coming and would pull in just after Prowl.

The relief in Prowls vocals radiated as he transformed and forced his way past Starscream to where Shifter sat on the ground. "Paddle shifter." Prowl fell to his knees and drew in the youngling. "I'm so sorry I left you."

"He called you a traitor." Paddle Shifter shook his head. "I was aiming for Sideswipe I didn't mean to hurt Bumblebee."

Prowl nodded. "I know." He sighed. "It will be handled with in the morning. Now where is your blaster?"

"I have it." Starscream turned handing over the weapon to Prowl. Prowl took it and pointed it away unloading the weapon's chamber and putting on it's safety before storing it in a side compartment on his leg.

Starscream turned his attention to the top-kick as it unloaded its human passengers.

"Found him I see." Lennox said slowly. "We need to get back to base, ASAP." He said. Ironhide transformed behind the human line and stood up tall looking at Prowl and Shifter before moving his gaze to the seeker.

"The creatures have lost their containment." Shifter Said. "I knocked down their barrier."

Lennox observed the mess and nodded. "I'll get a crew out here to fix the fence and let the owner know there was a car accident here." Lennox looked at Ironhide.

Ironhide nodded to Lennox and spoke up. "Prowl escort your youngling home, and keep him in your hanger he's confined to quarters until dawn when we figure out what to do with him."

Shifter cringed slightly sinking down against Prowl. "Yes Ironhide." Prowl stood giving his charge a long stern glance. "Lets go."

"Sire…Sire I'm sorry…"

Prowl said nothing as he transformed and sat on the pavement waiting for his charge to cross in front of him to transform so they could leave. Giving no answer to his charge felt wrong somehow. His tone was soft and quiet. "We'll discuss it in the morning, lets get moving. Pull ahead of me." Prowl insisted.

"Yes Sire." Shifter looked back at everyone before turning, head hanging low, to transform slowly and sadly before driving off with his Sire.

* * *

><p>"What do you plan to do about all this Optimus?" Ratchet set down his small scanner and folded his arms over his chest. "We can't have him running around shooting other mechs just because he doesn't agree with them."<p>

Optimus nodded and looked around the room. Ratchet, Ironhide, Starscream, and Prowl were present for the discussion. "Sometimes I want to shoot Sideswipe too." Ironhide admitted and shook his head "His Xenophobia gets to even me." Before Optimus could respond Ironhide held up a hand. "Not finished yet Optimus." Starscream smirked but leaned back on the hanger wall. "Look as much as Sides gets to me I have the training and restraint to keep my weapon safeties on. I think we should remove Shifters weapons. He can use them to train but they go back in the locker until he's mature enough to know proper restraint."

Optimus nodded slowly. "Starscream anything to add?"

"I agree with Ironhide's initial assessment, though I suggest we remove him from active duty for a time and remand him to base." Starscream looked at Prowl. "And lets keep him and Sideswipe apart for the time being."

"Prowl?" Optimus turned.

"I agree to all terms." He said slowly standing. "Will Sideswipe be spoke with as well?" Prowls optics remained on the floor, he felt for the first time something had gotten out of his control and a certain amount of blame still plagued him.

"Yes you have my word." Optimus smiled.

"When can I speak with Bumblebee?" Prowl turned to Ratchet slowly looking up to meet the medic's gaze.

"I'll let you know." And Ratchet left it at that letting his arms fall to his sides in a casual posture.

Their little meeting broke up slowly and others began to speak quietly. Starscream shifted over to where Ratchet stood.

Starscream looked up at Ratchet. "I would like to thank you for the rapid repair last night. It was appreciated at such a late hour and under such time constraints."

"It's my job Starscream." Ratchet nodded. "You are most welcome."

Starscream turned to glimpse Ironhide taking his leave from the hanger and then turned to face the Medic again. "I have something else I wish to discuss with you, it requires…" He looked back at the others who seem to be splitting up and speaking amongst themselves. "Some privacy."

Ratchet nodded slowly and put a hand on the back of the seeker's arm and motioned him to the far hanger door. "Lets go discuss this in the medical hanger than. Shall I call Hook?"

"Yes." Starscream nodded.

The splitting up of Ironhide and Starscream silently was not lost on the Prime, but rather than question the medic or seeker; he decided to speak with his friend. "Prowl, please excuse me I need to discuss something with Ironhide."

Prowl nodded. "Of course, I'll let Shifter know the decision and then make my way to the command center with Red Alert." Prowl shifted slightly. "Good luck." He smiled and turned.

* * *

><p>The Command center buzzed with life; humans scurried along catwalks on the back wall and made their way around the central column in the room. The column was not only a column but also a large computer network and wires that lead up to a human sized Autobot who was wired directly into it. He was a torso with arms, his head ticked left and right watching all the LCD monitors that surrounded him.<p>

Prowl walked up behind the large set up that was placed at his torso height. "Red Alert."

"Hello Sir." Red Alert's head turned. "I am glad your youngling was retrieved.

"As am I." Prowl smiled. "When did you arrive on earth?"

"I have been on earth for a while." He looked up. "I arrived while connected to Defensor."

"Yes I read that report." Prowl frowned. "I'm so sorry about your brothers."

"It's…." The Mech sighed. "It was for the best." He nodded. "I hold three sparks." He said slowly. "But my processor was the only one to survive." He twisted on his torso away from his screens. "My body is built into this consol." He said slowly. "I can't leave, I can't move." He explained. "I recharge here and I work here."

Prowl nodded. "Who's sparks do you hold?"

"Groove, and Hotspot." He said slowly and rubbed his chest. He looked up. "I'm lucky to be alive." He nodded. "It's an honor to carry my brother's sparks."

"Does that cause you problems?" Prowl asked slowly looking down at the stationary mech.

"We are combiners Sir, we would come together and share sparks, it's not an issue, I do sometimes see latent images when I'm recharging that I know are not mine, but they just exist in my chamber, our sparks were all compatible. I am happy to carry my brothers with me in my life."

Prowl smiled. "I am sorry for your loss."

Red Alert looked up. "Thank you Sir." He turned back to his controls. "When you're free sir. I have not been brought my ration from Ratchet tonight."

"Your energon?" Prowl pat Red Alert's shoulder slowly. "I'll grab it. I think Ratchet is speaking with Starscream." Prowl smiled and turned leaving the solitary combiner to his duties.

Red Alert lowered his arms into the main console and smiled. "Sorry Teletran I am back." The computer bleeped. "Me too my friend pull up the scans from sector twelve please." The computer complied. "I want the hanger doors on the main screens." The images appeared. "And give me the human barracks as well." The lower screens flickered to life. "And chess in the bottom screen brother…we'll play a few games." The computer complied and the game flickered to life in the corner.

* * *

><p>Ironhide stood on the range holding two of his weapons loading two chambers in his rifle. "Ironhide." Optimus said slowly.<p>

Ironhide turned slowly and slung the weapon over his shoulder. "What can I do for you Prime?"

"Is something wrong with Starscream?" Optimus asked slowly.

Ironhide shrugged. "He hasn't said anything to me."

"He hasn't?"

"No." Ironhide shook his helm. "Why?" He suddenly became aware of how serious Optimus sounded.

"He's speaking with Ratchet." Optimus strode forward. "Considering the conversations he and I have had over the months I felt slightly concerned."

"Probably just getting his canopy adjusted." Ironhide dismissed it.

"Ironhide." Optimus reached out touching the truck's shoulder. "There's something wrong with the seeker."

Ironhide blinked his optic shutters and looked down. "How serious?"

Optimus shook his head. "I do not know but I suggest you go to medical and speak with Ratchet and Starscream." He paused a moment. "Has anything changed between you both?"

Ironhide looked at his feet. "Yes." He said firmly. "For the better." He laughed. "We didn't get any recharge after we got back."

Optimus nodded. "I can feel the charge." He said slowly. "Felt it in the meeting more so on Starscream."

"What are you saying?" Ironhide shook his head and held up his hand.

"You should proceed to medical." Optimus pulled his hand down and turned. "Starscream will need you."

To be continued...


	8. Charged

Surrender

Chapter 8: Charged

I got a lot of messages concerning Starscream, well here's your answer...no sparklings for this pair sorry.

Keep reading though you never know what kind of wrenches I toss.

:D

* * *

><p>Ironhide stood at the back of the hanger. His face the picture of concern as he watched Hook and Ratchet circle the seeker. They hooked tubes and scanners to the seeker and began a barrage of tests. Ironhide's jaw set firmly in place he shifted he weight to his other foot and let out a low frustrated rumble.<p>

Starscream was silent as he sat. He looked with trepidation down at his lower legs and shifted his foot. His ruby optics pitched up to meet the azure optics of Ironhide who stood close enough to feel, but not close enough to talk.

"Your arm Starscream…" Hook waited.

Starscream came back to himself and nodded lifting his arm. Hook took the long black cable and hooked it into a jack in the seam of the seeker's torso. "This should help dissipate the charge." The seeker nodded. "I'm going to tell Ratchet about your system irregularities." The seeker gave a low nod again. "Did you want the Brute to know?"

Starscream looked at Ironhide and nodded again. "Lay back Starscream, get some rest." Hook insisted and turned to Ratchet and motioned him away.

Ironhide shifted and stood as the two medics arrived before him. "What's wrong with him?"

"There's a reason that Starscream never went to the breeding sectors." Hook said slowly. "He can't dissipate the charge he generates." He said slowly. "At least not as quickly as a normal mech. Then again he's a seeker and we don't know all the ins and outs of seeker physiology." Hook shook his head.

"It's hard, because we as non fliers are grounded constantly." Ratchet said slowly. "We theorize he's not properly grounded."

Ironhide nodded. "So the Charge isn't leaving out his feet like ours do."

"No." Hook said. "I mean it is leaving but not at a fast enough rate."

Ratchet nodded. "So it's building up." He looked back. "We are going to try to install new grounding wires in his body to try to draw the charge down on it's own."

Ironhide nodded. "Can he continue his duties?"

"Yes of course." Ratchet nodded. "But we're going to work on a system that will draw up the excess energy while he's in the air."

Hook nodded. "When he lands he can dissipate the charge through his tires or if he's walking through his feet."

Ironhide nodded slowly. "So is there anything else…" He trailed off.

"Your Interfacing needs to stop for now." Ratchet said slowly. "It may be exacerbating his condition." He shook his head. "Have you experienced anything unusual during interface?"

Ironhide looked a bit taken back by the question. He looked to Hook then to Ratchet. "I um, fried some redundant circuits." He muttered. "But Screamer's a lot bigger than I am." He murmured. "It's not unusual for larger mechs to fry circuits in the smaller ones."

The medics exchanged looks and shook their heads. "Get on a berth I want to see what he managed to short out." Ironhide grumbled and moved toward the free medical berth next to Starscream.

The seeker, making light of the situation spoke softly. "What are you in for?"

"Fragging you…what are you in for?" He laughed.

Starscream was not amused with the crude answer and turned his head away. "The same." The seeker sighed and looked up at the ceiling. He felt something brush his hand and turned his head to face Ironhide once more. Their fingers intertwined and then they let go of one another and just waited as the two medics circled them to try to repair the damage they'd done to each other.

* * *

><p>"Will they be ok?" Prowl asked slowly.<p>

"Ratchet assures me they will be functional." Optimus nodded looking at shifter who sat at the far of his hanger watching television. "They will have to go without their intimacy for the time being." He shrugged "I don't foresee any problems, but Ironhide had major replacements done."

"Yes I read that in Hook's report." He mused a moment. "Shame."

"Indeed." There was something dark about the way Optimus said it. There was regret there as well for Prowl. He had to have his charge with him almost every moment of every day, and when Shifter was not with him he was locked in their hanger under human guard.

Optimus reached across the table taking the Mustang's hand. His thumb rubbed over the muscle-car's knuckles. "We'll get through this, you have my word."

"I hope so." Prowl nodded tipping his head to Shifter who was watching the science channel. The cylinder in prowls opposite hand moved in a slow circle mixing the oil and energon mix around. "This isn't bad." He said of the drink in the cup.

"Hook and Ratchet were devising it." Optimus said slowly. "It's thin but it sticks to your tank." Optimus nodded. "I could stand it better than just the oil we were ingesting for so long. " He reached out grabbing a small piece of rebar and held it in his hand before taking a small bite off the end.

Prowl reached out for the metal rod and did the same. "Shifter." Optimus said slowly sitting up straighter to address the youngling.

The young mech turned and looked back. "Y-Yes sir?" His optics were low as he responded.

"Come have a drink and get a piece of bar." Optimus offered. "Come sit and talk with us." Optimus smiled again. "We have been neglecting you based on what's happened and I fear you're suffering more for it than you should. Come little one, let us talk to you."

Shifter looked up at his sire who smiled and nodded and motioned the hatchback to a nearby seat. Shifter stood and came to the table and slowly sat taking the canister offered him by the Prime. "Thank you." He said.

"You are welcome." Optimus looked at Prowl slowly. "Tell me little one ….what do you know of Cybertron?"

Shifter looked up slowly. "Not much really sir. Only what Cade….what Prowl has told me." He smiled softly. "He told me that Iocon was a shining city. That kissed the sky."

Optimus smiled and nodded as he reached out pushing back the small tray of rebar to clear the table. His hologram generator came on and suddenly an image of Iocon was there in the middle of the table gleaming. "It's so beautiful." Shifter said slowly.

"In that time…It was very beautiful." Prowl nodded reaching out to the hologram to point to specific buildings. "I worked here in the council chambers." He smiled. "Optimus worked here too only he was on the lower floors with the archivists."

"What's an archivist?" Shifter asked before taking a drink of his cylinder.

Optimus smiled. "That is an excellent question." Prowl leaned closer to Optimus as the larger began to explain. "Let me start at the beginning." He sighed. "Did Prowl tell you of the castes? Of the guilds?"

Shifter shook his head. "No sir…what is a caste?" He asked.

"We have much to discuss than….Long ago before the war, when the sky was clear and Cybertron shown like a star, there were castes and guilds." He continued. "When young ones such as yourself were born from the All Spark, you would be shuffled immediately into a job, or station."

"Oh…so you were turned into an Archivist?" Shifter blinked.

"And I a statistician." Prowl smiled proudly.

* * *

><p>Ironhide shifted back slowly on the berth. "I thought Ratchet was bad." He complained his head slowly lowering back to the berth.<p>

"Hook didn't harm you he just pulled out those fried parts." Starscream said easing him back. "And put in some new ones. The discomfort will be gone tomorrow he assured me. Though having to without our intamacy is a most unwelcome."

"I know but that's not what's got me-" The sirens screamed. "Slag."

Starscream nodded and grabbed Ironhide's arm hoisting him up again. "Hurry."

The two mechs left their hanger with as much swiftness as the newly repaired could and made their way to central command.

Prowl entered the command center with Shifter and Prime at the same time. "Report!" Prowl barked but then looked at Ironhide who motioned him on.

"It's the decepticon driller drone sir, it's been sighed in the gorge again. We've got video feed from the UAV. " (Unmanned Aerial vehicle)

Optimus stepped forward. "What is it doing?" He asked pointing to one of Red's small screens. "Feed it up to the main viewer. "

"Yes sir." He said as the main screen came to life. "It is circling."

"Starscream?" Optimus asked for the seeker's opinion.

"I am uncertain. That is most unusual behavior especially for a labor drone." He stepped forward away from Ironhide Stepping up beside Prowl. "It's glitched." He said.

"Sir I've got the UAVs trained on it. I can engage it if given orders to."

"No Red Alert, We'll head out that way." Optimus said slowly. "Who's able to go?" He turned.

"Bumblebee and Sideswipe are on wide patrol they can meet us there." Prowl said turning to Paddle-Shifter. "You shall remain with Red alert." He said slowly.

"I will look after him." Red smiled. "I'll keep my UAVs in the area too if you need their assistance."

"Yes keep your eyes in the sky." Ironhide piped up and was about to say more as Starscream turned him away to face him.

Starscream shook his head. "Your condition is not stable enough to go on this mission."

Stubborn as ever Ironhide replied with a low rumble; "I'm fine." He insisted quietly trying to keep their conversation to themselves. "Lets go." He turned toward Optimus who gave Ironhide a questioning look but still raised his hand.

Optimus moved his hand in a sweeping motion over his head. "Rollout!"

As Starscream turned to leave he grabbed Ironhide by the forearm. "You're in no condition. I shall not repeat myself again." He said low to the pick up who glared back at him. "I had grounds installed, and you had parts replaced." Starscream said low. "You're weak and barely moving around."

A moment before a sigh vented deep within the black mech. "Fine… I shall remain." He nodded and looked at Optimus raising his voice. "Keep an optic on him for me. I will try to coordinate from here."

Optimus nodded. "Starscream…wheels up in two minutes." He said and moved to the exit of the command center.

There was a long silence between them as they stood there. "Get the glitched bastard." Ironhide said with a smirk. "and try not to kill yourself in the process again please."

"I'll bring its carcass home to you." Starscream said sarcastically. "You can mount its head on our wall above the berth."

"I look forward to it." Ironhide smiled and nudged the seeker out the door. "Go…I'll have the radio on."

"Until I return." Starscream lowered his wing plates down his back slowly.

"Until then." Ironhide rumbled slowly. Turning he pointed to a chair near Red alert. "Sit Youngling." He told shifter. "I want to you take notes."

Shifter sat at a consol near red alert and swiveled around. "Yes sir." He said and began to type.

"Red give me the maps on the gorge and I want the video feed with time stamps please."

Red alert spun on his torso to another console and pushed a human aside. "Excuse me Marcus I need my other screens…. Yes sir…Maps and video coming up now." He turned to the human. "Marcus please bring me two quarts of oil."

* * *

><p>Sideswipe rolled around the mass of drill. "Hate to be him." Bumblebee beside him gave a nod. "Who brought it down?" The yellow mech shrugged and then his head bounced a bit as he mock boxed the carcass of the driller. Pretending to uppercut it before standing up again and composing himself as Optimus walked past him and touched his shoulder.<p>

"Starscream." Optimus answered as his wing slats folded behind his body. Starscream was knelt down by the large drill his hands in a few redundant compartments pulling items free. Data-pads, and data-chips littered the ground. Optimus reached out and stopped Sideswipe's hand as he attempted to kick the creature. "No." He said firmly. "We'll need some of its parts. Do not damage its frame anymore than it's been damaged already."

"Sir." The silver corvette nodded and turned to Bumblebee to speak quietly.

"Starscream report." Optimus stepped forward.

"There's a lot of data here, it will take time to sift through it all but I'm sure with Red Alert's help it won't be an issue." He looked at its chassis. "We're going to need to separate it and bring it back in pieces. It's just too large to move in one piece."

Optimus nodded. "Agreed." He turned "I'll radio the humans to ready a few transport trailers. Do you believe you can piece it apart or shall I call Ratchet?"

Starscream's arm twisted about and transformed into a torch. "Call the medics, it will take less time if I have assistance to dismantle it."

Optimus turned putting his hand on his helm. "This is Optimus to Ironhide, dispatch Ratchet and Hook to our location and bring us four human semis with flat bed trailers." He said slowly. "We've got a rather large payload to bring in."

"Affirmative, I'll let you know when the medics and the trucks are on their way." Came Ironhide's quiet response.

"Until then." Optimus cut the signal and turned back to observe the others as they began the slow dismantling of the driller under the instruction of Starscream.

To be continued...


	9. Fate

Surrender

Chapter 9: Fate

_I'm a terrible writer I tell you all I won't do something then after reading and rereading it's the only thing to do. _

* * *

><p>Starscream turned his head to the uncanny sound of laughter. No not laughter, it was a chuckle. A deep, dark, loaded chuckle. The seeker looked down at the data-pads strewn over the desk he was seated at and sighed. Hours, he'd been working on these data files for hours a break, not only to ease his processor but to satiate his curiosity.<p>

Standing the seeker moved quietly around the large driller that lay in the massive hanger that had been quickly built to house it. Ironhide stood at the head of the drill still laughing holding something between his thumb and forefinger. "Screamer!" He called.

"I am right here…you needn't yell." Starscream stroke up as Ironhide turned his gaze to the seeker. "What have you found that's got you so…excited." He asked.

"This." He stood and turned to the silver mech and offered up the small shard. "Trillium." He nodded. "A whole pit of a lot of it." He said softly.

Starscream eyed the drill tip in his hands and nodded. "Harvest as much as you can." He said slowly. "I'll….inform Optimus and Prowl." Starscream turned to the hanger door and paused for a moment to view the shard again.

"Find something?" Lennox asked walking up near the seeker on the upper catwalk.

"Yes, it can help us refine Energon." He smiled softly. "Like a charcoal filter in your water device."

"Oh the Britta thing." Lennox nodded. "So Cybertronian filtration stuff?"

"Yes." He said and pulled the hanger door back. "Excuse me." Lennox nodded.

"Hey Ironhide?" The truck looked up from the foot of the drill. "Something wrong with your boyfriend?"

A pause as Ironhide's optics darted up. "I'm unsure…why do you ask?" Ironhide stood clutching more of the little pieces of drill bit in his left palm.

"Just the way he was looking at those things." Lennox moved down the catwalk. "Seemed odd."

"Probably just thinking about what Energon tastes like; we've been living on human fossil fuels for years." Ironhide shrugged. "Oil doesn't lubricate our tanks like Energon does, and we haven't had any stable supply in over 16 months. Save for the high grade Prime has stored and even that's being rationed, after that big shindig after the others integrated. "

Lennox nodded slowly. "Yeah ok." He said looking at the doors distracted. "Just watch him for me will ya?"

"He's always on my sensor grid." Ironhide looked back down at his work and smirked. "There's nothing to worry about William. Starscream sometimes is just …I don't know how to describe it…intellects suffer for their thoughts more than warriors do."

"What's he suffering from?" William asked leaning down on the rail of the catwalk.

Ironhide gave a smug smile and shrugged. "Withdrawal I would suspect."

"From?" The moment he asked he shook his head holding up his hands to silence the GMC from saying anything. "Nevermind." He had regretted the question the moment he'd asked it. Ironhide laughed out loud again but the laughing stopped suddenly and turned into a groan.

Ironhide reached up touching his helm. "Hey you ok Ironhide?" Lennox shook his head slowly. "Something the matter?" his hand slid into his pocket and grabbed his phone just in case, and headed down the first set of Catwalk stairs he could find.

"Yes I just got…dizzy slightly." Ironhide shook his head and turned and purged his tanks into a nearby canister. "Ugh." He groaned.

"I'm going to call Optimus." He said slowly. "Only because I've never seen any of you guys hurl in four years." He dialed the number on his phone. "Red Alert patch me a comm to Optimus please, and send the closest mech to the driller hanger inside…" Ironhide shifted and sat down on the ground near the small blue canister and just sat. Bumblebee appeared at the door and Lennox pointed his finger to Ironhide. "Watch him…hey Optimus it's Lennox we've got a situation in the driller hanger…it's Ironhide."

Bumblebee knelt down by Ironhide who turned purging again. Bumblebee put a hand on his back and whistled.

"I'm ok Bumblebee." Ironhide insisted. "I'm really okay." Though Ironhide was struggling to believe it.

* * *

><p>"And your torso is hurting as well?" Ratchet asked helping Ironhide onto a medical berth.<p>

"Yeah I just thought it was being slow to heal from the installs." Ironhide leaned back again. "You said it'd stop hurting two weeks ago." Ironhide shook his head as he looked up at Ratchet. He growled and continued to hold a part of his chassis far above his torso armor. "And I couldn't keep down that new slag you created …so thin…ugh…"

"Yes I did." Ratchet smirked. "Didn't I? How many times did you purge?" He ran his fingers along the pickup's torso lifting the large armored shoulder plates of the split grill flipping them up over Ironhide's shoulders. Ironhide held up two fingers to show he'd purged twice but didn't speak. He let his finger trace the seam on the pick-up's chassis. "You two haven't merged sparks have you?"

Ironhide blinked tipping his head to the side he shook it. "Don't think so…"

"Shouldn't you know whether or not you've merged with Starscream?" Ratchet blinked at him almost aghast. "You'd know Ironhide."

"Well we get really charged up some nights….and Primus when was that when Optimus gave us high grade and we got a bit …trashed on it. Him and Prowl were no better of that was half a rotation ago." Ironhide groaned uncomfortably.

Ratchet looked at him. "If you and Starscream merged that might explain all this. The symptoms, the irritableness."

"I'm not irritable." Ironhide fumed softly with another groan.

"How much more contradictory you've gotten." Ratchet teased with a smirk.

Ironhide blinked. "I don't like where you're going with this…" Ironhide muttered.

Ratchet pulled up another scanner and plugged it into the computer. He grabbed a tube and spread a pink gel like substance across his torso plate. "What are you doing? Ah that's cold…" Ironhide shifted slightly and tried to bite through the searing pain in his torso.

"It will warm soon I'm just checking something…" He said quietly. He placed the scanner against the gel and looked at his monitor. "Do not move." He said slowly. "I won't be able to see what's going on inside of you clearly if you move." He shook his head. "Irresponsible…reckless…" he muttered a few choice words but kept scanning.

"How long will this take, I'm due to meet Optimus and Starscream in fifteen minutes, and I have to help disassemble the main drill." He groaned and touched the lower corner torso. "Primus that hurts." He growled low.

"HOOK!" Ratchet called and started to click a few buttons on the console before him.

Hook rounded the corner holding a canister of their current food staple. "What is it Ratchet? Found something?" He rounded the corner sipping out of a straw and blinked.

Ratchet turned the monitor and waited. Hook reached down to touch a few buttons to bring up more screens and laughed slightly. "Does Starscream know?" He asked.

"I haven't even explained it to Ironhide." He said softly and the two turned. "Two…of them."

"What's going on?" Ratchet's hand pushed down on Ironhide as he tried to sit forward. "I want to know…what's happening?" He sealed his optics and tried to calm down. "Primus it hurts."

Ratchet and Hook looked at each other and then back to Ironhide. "You're not going anywhere just yet." Hook tapped Ratchet's arm and pointed to the screen. "Yes I know …ask Optimus if he can spare a few gallons of high grade…I'm going to thin it out see if he can ingest it."

"I told you Ratch I purged the new stuff this morning. High grade doesn't even sound good right now." Ironhide rubbed at his optics and shook his helm. "I could purge again I'm pretty sure."

"That's because your body is rejecting it." Hook rolled his optics. "Autobot." He sighed. "You're body needs a higher grade now." Hook turned making his way to the other side of the bed. "I've radioed Starscream to head this way…have you contacted Optimus?" Hook asked.

"Yes…" Ratchet said slowly and reached back down with his device to run it in the gel again. "Going to grab some images of the things before we talk about it."

"What things?" Ironhide tried to rise up but Hook held him down. "What in the world are you talking about?" Ironhide shook his helm "I'll blast you both…" He growled.

Hook smirked. "I'd like to see you try." Hook set his drink down and turned to another monitor. "Setting up secondary monitoring." He said slowly and grabbed two scanners that magnetically clipped to Ironhide's spark chamber, just below his spark output meter.

Ironhide lifted his arm pointing it at Hook, who didn't seem fazed by the weapon. Ironhide rotated the chamber and fired. Nothing happened. His cannon made a clicking sound. "What's happening?"

"Your weapons systems and rudimentary sub systems are all offline." Ratchet shook his helm. "That's a symptom of this condition. No weapons, no backup systems, no anything else that your body doesn't absolutely need, it's all being rerouted." Ironhide lay back on the berth with a groan.

The medical bay hanger doors opened wide and Starscream and Optimus approached. "What condition?" Starscream asked bewildered, looking at Ironhide.

"They won't tell me." Ironhide growled and shook his helm, and turned slightly under Ratchet's hold and purged into a can on the ground beside the berth.

Ratchet motioned the arriving mechs over. "Starscream I believe you will know what you're looking at." He stood and offered the scanner to the seeker who tipped up the monitor. His hand and the scanner found the black chassis again as Ironhide lay back.

"By the all spark." Starscream adjusted the scanner. "That's ….entirely…"

Optimus leaned forward. "One there…..is that another?" He asked coming forward to point at the screen.

Starscream nodded. "Where's the third?" He shook his head.

"I was only able to see two." Ratchet said slowly.

Starscream nodded. "There it is…" he motioned Ratchet over and pointed. "There below the second." He sighed looking at Ironhide; who about looked like he was going to rip their helms to shreds.

"WHAT THE SLAG IS GOING ON!" Ironhide screamed at the top of his vents causing everyone to back up. Starscream though, hadn't moved. He simply turned the monitor freezing the image. "Seekers…a trine….one …" A clawed finger circled the blip of the image. "Two…" he touched another. "Three." He nodded slowly releasing his claws. "We're going to be creators…." He sighed. "I would have thought it would have been me who would have absorbed the initial charge for these creations."

Hook nodded. "You're the larger mech, the download passed into the safest housing…you're light and thin for flight…Ironhide is bulky and armored better. They are better protected within his chassis."

"Ironhide are you alright?" Optimus asked slowly but the truck hadn't said anything he just stared at the screen.

He looked at Ratchet. "Can I get up and walk?" He asked very softly.

"Of course Ironhide." Ratchet said slowly grabbing a rag to wipe the gel off his torso plate before lowering his armor over his chest. He shifted and stood giving the four other mechs a cold look before turning to walk out of the hanger. "Ironhide you really should stay here…we need to monitor you and get Energon into your systems."

A human gesture, Ironhide flipped them off, walking out the door.

Starscream handed the scanner to Hook and sighed looking at prime. "I'll go talk to him."

Optimus nodded. "See that you do."

* * *

><p>Ironhide shifted the grey weapon in his left hand and loaded it with his right. His Colt replica side arms were not part of his main weapons array. Turning he closed his bad optic and took two shots to the blue barrels filled with water on the range beyond. He stood there watching what was left of the blue barrels leak water. "You can abort them if you like." The seeker spoke softly, almost sadly. It would never have been something he would choose.<p>

Ironhide turned to face Starscream. "Why would I do that?" His hand shook as he tried to load the next round.

Starscream came forward quietly and took his hand and helped him put the round in the chamber and used his own hand to seal up the weapon. "Because…you're scared." He said softly. "We're not prepared for such responsibility." The backs of his fingers trailed down Ironhide's knuckles and he froze slightly. "Because there's little fuel enough as it is." He didn't sound happy about it and that made Ironhide feel slightly better. "There are many reasons why-"

"Look…Starscream….Three…."

"Yes Seekers come in threes." He said softly. "I'm not the only one this handsome out there."

Ironhide let a smirk escape him as he sat down in the grass. "I don't know what to do. How old are they?"

The seeker sat down beside him and reached out clawing at the dirt. "Six maybe seven months." He said slowly. "They are mostly formed."

"And they are all seekers?" Ironhide asked.

"No two are seekers one doesn't appear to have wing-struts." Starscream looked out slowly. "I would understand if you do not wish to keep them, but the war is over, and Optimus would ensure there were enough rations for all." He said slowly.

"You want to keep them?" Ironhide asked softly.

"Of course I do… I have always wished to be a sire, but I never dreamed I'd be the creator instead." Starscream said softly. "You owe Ratch and Hook a door."

"Slag them…" Ironhide shook his helm.

"At least your spirits are up." Starscream said dryly. "Did you really need to blow a hole in the door? I mean really Ironhide ….a temper tantrum?" Ironhide slid his colt replica down into a compartment on his leg. "Come on." Starscream stood as he reached down lifting the black mech to his feet. "We're going to our quarters and you're going to talk to me." Starscream insisted and lifted up his torso checking the monitors Hook had put in place. "And you're going to rest." He said softly. "I won't let you argue with me."

"I'll argue with you all I want." Ironhide said coldly.

"You're insufferable now."

"Like I wasn't before." Ironhide smiled at that.

* * *

><p>Red Alert smiled. "Thank you Prowl I appreciate your swiftness." He reached up and took the canister from the taller mech. "It is not often I can enjoy such luxuries."<p>

"It's my honor Red Alert." He said releasing the canister to the ops director and turning. "What's the grid look like today?"

Red took a slow sip from his canister of hot oil and shrugged using one hand to type against his keypad. "Nothing really. M.E.D. are quiet and we've got nothing on the main….hang on.." He set his canister down and turned. "Correction, Sir, I've got an M.E.D. blaring in the southern part of the local grid."

"Local grid?" Prowl turned. "How close?"

"Putting it on screen." Red looked up and shook his head. "Two miles sir."

Prowl nodded. "Alert everyone, and put the base on Code Orange, this is not a drill." He said slowly and turned. "Get me Prime and Charlotte Mearing!" He ordered to a few humans in the back of the room.

"Yes sir!" They nodded and ran out the double doors.

* * *

><p>to be continued...<p> 


	10. Family Matters

Surrender

Chapter 10: Family Matters

Long time coming ... :D

Read and review please...

* * *

><p>"What is it?" Optimus asked as Starscream checked the readouts of the main computer. "Autobot? Decepticon?" he blinked "Drone?"<p>

Starscream shook his head. "Weak signal for being so close." He murmured

"We're not sure sir." Red looked up at Optimus answering his question. "I'll have a better Idea once I get better visuals from the UAVs." He said slowly. "But the MED that set off was in the southern quadrant." He moved to another keypad. "Transmitting you all coordinates now." He said and everyone's hud flashed with the digits.

Optimus gave a slow nod. "Rollout everyone." He motioned sideswipe and Bumblebee to the door." The doors sealed shut and Prowl vented quietly. "It is never dull around here that's for sure." He murmured tightly.

"You said it Prowl." Red smiled softly and pulled up another screen.

Ironhide entered the command center, stomping his way forward

"Prowl, I'll be relieving you. You're in the field."

"But I …I haven't been in the field since the war started at Tripticon station." He said slowly. "Ironhide what's happened?"

"I'm not able to go into the field, as third in command you must go and take my place." Ironhide looked at Red Alert. "Screens up!"

"What's wrong Ironhide?" Prowl asked him voice filled with concern.

"You can ask Starscream on the way, but you're wasting time, and that …is not like you Prowl. Report to Optimus." Ironhide was extra grouchy this time about it.

Prowl bowed slightly in front of Ironhide. "Yes Sir." He said slowly and turned to the door, as paddle-shifter walked in.

"Ah our new archivist." Ironhide rumbled with a sadistic satisfaction. "Sit little one and take notes." He looked at Red Alert. "I need eyes Red….where are the UAV feeds?"

"Yes sir. They are coming up on screen now."

Ironhide clutched his torso plate leaning down over the command console and took three large vents. "Shifter please escort Ironhide to Optimus' chair…he needs to sit." Red gave Ironhide a stern look. "Ease him back into the chair we don't want him falling."

Shifter stood and moved to the large mech who nodded slowly shifting his arm around the smaller hatch back. "What's wrong Ironhide?" Shifter asked slowly.

"I got seekers." He mumbled cryptically and shook his head leaning back into Prime's chair and sitting. "Ok back to your post…screens up…Hook to the command center." He nodded to Red alert who made the call. Ironhide shifted to one side and noted a large canister near Prime's chair. _Good._ He thought. _If I need to purge I can. _He looked up and saw the video feeds. "Can you clean any of that up red it's horridly dark."

"I'll see what I can do sir." Red looked back as Hook appeared in the doorway jogging in and pausing at Ironhide with a scanner.

"Sit back." Hook said softly. "I'll try to give you something for the discomfort." Ironhide could only nod and do as the medic asked.

* * *

><p>Starscream and Optimus landed near one another on ledge that overlooked the deserted area where the detector had been set off; Starscream landing slowly both feet settling evenly. Optimus landed in step, one foot after the other and tried to slow himself. "You're a lot better at this than I am." He murmured.<p>

"Variable trajectory." He smirked looking out as if that was the only answer to his better capability in the air. "Where is it?"

"I'm unsure." Optimus held out his scanner and took a long look out ahead of himself. "Prowl and Bumblebee are on the eastern half of the grid, Sideswipe is on the southern." He said slowly.

"We're western who's covering the north?"

"Ratchet." Optimus said slowly and looked down over the area. "This signal is strong so where is it?"

"It's not a seeker or I'd have felt it." Starscream said slowly taking a single step forward. "There… movement." The small thing darted across the open area below them.

Optimus moved his scanner. "Yes …its readout is very weak." He reached up hitting his comm. "Ironhide do you and Red have a UAV visual?"

"Nada." Ironhide responded extremely quietly. "Be careful."

Starscream froze. "I'm picking up a decepticon signal." He lifted his hand to his helm. "Prowl are you reading it as well?"

"The signal? Yes." He said softly. "Homing beacon." He sounded concerned. "You want to meet me there?"

He glanced at Optimus who gave him an affirming nod. "Yes go."

Starscream moved into the green area trying to avoid walking into trees he looked around. His sensors were playing havoc with him, until it hit him. Literally hit him. The creature below whined and pawed against his legs.

"Ravage?" he blinked. "You were killed." He knelt down slowly and looked over the cybertronian feline that rubbed against him. Starscream raised up his head his hand cresting over the feline's back. "I've got it…it's Ravage…he's very low on energon I'm bringing him in."

Prowl appeared just next to him. "That's not Ravage." Prowl said quietly.

"Who is it?" Starscream asked his head turning to one side. "It's not a drone …look at how it's acting."

"Possibly a different hatchling." Prowl smiled and leaned down offering his hand to the feline who hissed and rubbed against Starscream some more. "I guess he told me didn't he?"

Starscream laughed. "That's right hiss at the evil Autobots." He smirked as Prowl laughed lightly.

A shadow appeared over them. "What do we have?" Optimus asked kneeling down beside prowl.

"It's like Ravage but it doesn't seem to want anything to do with me…he seems alright with Starscream." Prowl shook his head, but his optics were locked on the sad creature. Much to his chagrin he was very maternal when it came to creatures. He'd taken a shine to young Paddle-shifter, and now, much to his aching he was taking a shine to the creature that was scared of him. He longed for the creature not to be afraid.

The creature moved to Optimus slowly and appeared to be scanning him before pressing his head against the Prime's hand. "Oh well I give up." Prowl laughed and stood. "It hates me." He said like it was funny, but his spark hurt over it. The look Optimus gave him let him know the Prime could feel his irritation too.

Optimus let his hand trail over the back of the feline. "Oh he does not." Optimus shook his head but gave prowl a soft, bright glance letting his mask retract. "Lets take him in and get him some energon." He nodded. "See if we can't get him to adapt into our little fold."

"And if we can't?" Starscream asked.

"We'll figure that out when it happens." Optimus stood the creature reaching up pawing at his legs. "easy …" Optimus held a hand to it and it knelt down.

"I'll transport it back, it's not very far…" Optimus said and lifted a hand to his comm. "Stand down …stand down…base back to blue alert the situation is taken care of. Everyone back to base."

* * *

><p>Prowl sat against the far wall as the feline followed Optimus around the room. "Where is Paddle-shifter?" Optimus looked around confused he'd come back and the youngling who had usually been there was gone.<p>

"Starscream and Ironhide were going to watch after him tonight so you and I could be alone." Prowl's optics kept following the feline. "Though we now have him…when I made these plans a week ago this little …addition was not calculated in."

Optimus looked back slowly. "Ah an unaccounted for variable how …unfortunate." It was a Jab at Prowl and Prowl knew it.

Prowl picked up a piece of cardboard and tossed it at prime but it bounced off his foot. "You're not helping."

"I apologize." He looked down. "He seemed alright with Starscream as well, I could take him to their hanger and return to you." Optimus' mouth was a thin line, as his soft Optics trailed over the black and white body that sat against the wall.

Prowl's leg was up his ankle joint resting on his opposite knee, his arm stretched over the back of the seat. Optimus smiled at him and could see the flutter in his door wings. "We don't have to Optimus." Prowl said softly. "Not unless you wish to."

Optimus held his gaze and nodded then looking down he pat his leg. "Come …you're going to Starscream."

The feline tipped his head and shook his tail slightly as he moved backward and moved to sit along the back wall.

Prowl turned his head to the feline and shook his head. "Guess that settles that."

Optimus shook his head. "Come." He repeated but the feline backed up into the wall.

"Stubborn" Prowl smiled as he observed turning his head into his palm. "Now what? How do you deal with insubordinates again? I forgot?" He smirked.

Optimus stepped over lifting the feline up in his hands and turned. "I'll deal with you when I return."

Prowl had a satisfied smirk and just laughed sitting back. "I'll hold you to that."

Optimus' optics brightened marginally and he nodded. "Of course…come along…cat." He murmured to the beast.

The feline wiggled in his arms and tried to get out but Prime glared down at him and he stilled. Optimus stepped to the door and slid it back. "Get comfortable I'll be back."

Once Optimus was out the door; Prowl picked up a data-pad and began to write patrol schedules. "Absolutely comfy." He said softly and laid back.

* * *

><p>"Is Ironhide going to be okay?" Shifter asked softly as he moved another piece on the board.<p>

"Yes he will be fine he just needs rest." The seeker's optics trailed over the board. "You've been playing with Optimus." It was fact, the last time they'd played Shifter had made half the moves he'd made tonight.

"Yes he taught me." Shifter nodded slowly as he watched the seekers optics moving across the board.

Starscream picked up his knight and moved it to another square grabbing the pawn up before setting the knight down. "Check."

"Ugh!" Shifter sighed and looked around. "I can't make any moves can I?"

Starscream scanned the board again and shook his head. "I'm afraid not but it was well played." He nodded. "Very good…would you like to go again?"

"Yes." He smiled and picked up his pieces from Starscream's side of the little table. "What are my Sire and Optimus doing tonight?"

Starscream blinked and looked up. "Discussing family matters." He said softly.

"Oh." He looked down. "Are they going to bond?"

"You would have to ask them." Starscream paused. "Why are you against it?" Before the youth could answer there was a small knock on the hanger door. Starscream gave him a knowing look to stay put and he rose moving to the door. "Hold that thought."

Optimus stepped inside and set the cat down. The feline moved to shifter and hopped up on the seat beside him. "Is it a problem?" Optimus asked.

"No it's fine he's more than welcome." Starscream smiled back at shifter.

"How is Ironhide?" Optimus smirked.

"He's so deep in recharge not even Unicron the un-maker could rouse him." Starscream smiled.

"And his charges?" Optimus smirked.

"Ratchet and Hook are monitoring him and I am privy to his mood more so than he would like, but he can't seem to block me out." Starscream tapped his helm. "He's exhausted." He said softly. "And he is still purging."

"Are you sure it's alright that Shifter and the feline stay?" Optimus asked, there was serious concern. "I do not wish to inconvenience you, or add undue strain to you or Ironhide." He said softly.

"It's not …" Starscream smiled. "I've been playing chess with Paddle-shifter." He smiled. "I think we'll play checkers next he may have a better time at it."

Optimus nodded and lowered his arms slowly. "Thank you."

"Of course Optimus." Starscream smiled.

"I'll see you tomorrow Optimus." Starscream nodded. "Enjoy yourself."

"I shall." Optimus gave Shifter a nod. "Behave or your sire and I will reconsider these…over night stays."

"Yes sir." Shifter nodded, and with that Optimus left as Starscream closed the door behind him. The seeker shifted a moment and gave a soft smile and a little wave.

"Stay here for a moment Ironhide has awoken I need to check him." Starscream said softly and crossed behind shifter's chair to move into the area they had curtained off as their berth room.

"Alright." Shifter moved to set the chess pieces back in their proper places.

The curtain shifted and Starscream looked into those blue optics, that looked thinly back at him. "Hurting?" he asked as he pulled the curtain closed behind him moving to the berth.

Ironhide gave a nod. "Gonna purge." He shifted over the canister, beside the berth, and choked the rancid energon from his tanks.

Starscream activated his comm. "Hook, it's Starscream he purged again." He said softly. After a ping and a confirmation that the medic was on his way Starscream sat down on the edge of the berth and ran his clawed hands over the black mech's back. "Easy."

"I want them out." Ironhide rumbled. "I'm dying." He confessed.

Starscream shook his head. "No you are not." He scoffed. "You've only known about them for a week." He laughed very softly as his hands made circling motions over Ironhide's shoulder. "You agreed to keep them. …you've had them for over six months now and it's almost time for us to remove them." Starscream leaned toward him. "Don't back out of this."

Ironhide nodded. "Won't ….just feels good to say I want it over with quickly. Vent the frustration."

Starscream smirked. "I respect that." He smirked and pressed his helm to Ironhide's in an awkward leaned down motion.

"Ugh." Ironhide vented hard. "ugh." He groaned.

"Easy." Starscream shook his head and looked up as he heard a bang on the hanger door. "Hook's here I'm going to go let him in…I'll be right back."

* * *

><p>Prowl giggled softly. "You can still laugh." Optimus smirked and ran a digit over a door wing.<p>

"Yes of course." Prowl smiled silencing his giggles. "I do have ticklish parts, or when I'm over charged. He leaned down over Optimus' chassis and his fingers began to trace lines. "Though this is the latter."

"I can see that." Optimus smirked at him. "I do so like you like this…shame we can't keep you over charged all of the time." He said with an amused tone.

Prowl's optic's thinned. "I dare you to try."

"Unfortunately for me I cannot with our energon supply so low." He wrapped his arms around the lithe mech. "How long has it been?"

"A long time." Prowl murmured. "Since Cybertron…since Jazz." He murmured softly.

Optimus nodded slowly in understanding. His digits trailed up to trace lines along the cruiser's torso and against the bright red chevron that adorned his forehead.

"How long has it been for you?" He asked.

"Terrianis four." He said slowly. "Magnus." Optimus admitted. "Though it was a …" he froze trying to explain it politely was a chore.

"Frag of convenience?" Prowl surmised.

"Yes." Optimus nodded. "This will not be that."

Prowl shook his helm as he leaned down. "No…I should think not." he said and captured the Prime's lips against his own and felt Optimus clamp down on him as his own digits clamped into the Prime's shoulders. "Firewalls."

"In place…and holding." Optimus nodded. "Merge with me." He pressed a wave into the cruiser from his own spark, the pulse radiating to the black and white's core.

Prowl moaned and pushed against him focusing a pulse back at the prime and groaned as it was received. "You needn't ask." He murmured and pressed their lips together clumsily as they rolled off the settee and onto the ground knocking over large plastic containers as they did so. The containers tipped to the side releasing their contents; data-pads.

The data-pads scattered and the two didn't stop their movements. Emotions assaulting them from all angles; they pulsed against one another with moans and groans and finally the snapping sound or retracting panels caused them to take pause.

* * *

><p>TBC<p> 


	11. Shifting sands

Surrender:

Chapter 11: Shifting sands

_It has been too long..._  
><em>I'm so sorry<em>

* * *

><p>Starscream blinked his optics online and rolled over in the berth. His hand reached out to his right and he felt around the berth<em>. Empty.<em> His optics opened and he blinked several times hoping this was some bad flux.

Panic over took him for a moment and he sat straight up. The cybercat was lying at the bottom of the berth but didn't move as Starscream's feet flipped over the edge of the berth and the seeker stood. "Ironhide?" He questioned and walked into the main living area they'd created by pulling back the tarp. "Shifter?" He looked around again and both mechs were gone.

Starscream checked behind him and made sure the feline wasn't going anywhere and moved to the hanger door. Exiting the hanger Starscream sent out an urgent communiqué that was pinged back by Ironhide almost immediately. The bond they shared was strengthened and he felt Ironhide's shameless joy.

Starscream found him, and Shifter out on the firing range on the fringes of the base. "AGAIN!" Shifter said running out onto the range. "I'll set up a few more canisters."

Ironhide chuckled. "Four this time youngling." Ironhide said turning his weapon to the ground to reload the large chambers.

Starscream strode up. "What do you think you're doing?" he hissed out.

"You're attractive when you're irritated." Ironhide laughed but didn't look up from the chamber as he loaded it.

"Answer me!" The seeker demanded turning the pick-up to face him.

He laughed again. "Fine." He stated and put up a hand to calm the seeker slightly, though it did nothing to calm him at all. "I came out of recharge feeling like a million credits." He smirked. "Let me enjoy it before I cannot." He said lowering his voice to more acceptable levels.

Starscream nodded slowly taken back slightly considering the words a moment. "Forgive me I was …concerned." He stated and put a clawed hand against the black chassis. "For you…them…I just."

"I know." Ironhide nodded and took the hand in his own lowering it off his body. "It's fine. You're forgiven." Ironhide turned as Shifter walked up. "Ready?"

"And what sort of non-sense is this?" Starscream asked turning to face the field now scrutinizing it. "More Autobot weapons training?"

"No." Ironhide scoffed. "This is just pure.." He cocked the rifle with his thumb. "Fun." He pointed to two adjacent posts. "Post one, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th cans. Post two and first can." He aimed slightly only turning his only once. He focused back and pulled the trigger on the colt replica.

The Cybertonian colt fired and it pinged off the second post taking out three cans before hitting the fist post and snapping backward to knock down the last standing can. "Gotcha."

"WHOA!" Shifter laughed and jumped. "That was awesome! Can you do that again?"

"Five cans." Ironhide instructed and the youngling ran off to set up more canisters.

"Show off." Starscream muttered. "Are you sure that was very impressive, but five? Are you sure you're all right?"

"I feel fine." Ironhide shrugged off the concern with a smile. "Whatever the doc gave me late last night just reloaded me." He nodded. "I feel excellent….newly manufactured even."

"More like newly manufacturing, and you are acting reckless." Starscream muttered, but it didn't have much bite. He just wanted Ironhide to be aware.

Ironhide snorted. "Reckless…" He waved a hand. "Says the mech who took on the driller."

"I thought we decided we weren't going to talk about it." Starscream stated. "I thought that was behind us." He said defensively.

Ironhide smiled at him, and it defused him entirely. "It is." He smiled and held up a bullet in his hand.

Starscream reached out taking it. "Is this trillium?" He blinked examining the tip of the bullet.

"Tipped it myself this morning." He nodded taking it back.

"You realize it won't ricochet like the other bullets will." He stated. "And we need the trillium for energon filtering."

"Yes I know that and there's plenty for a few filters without this. Ratchet said so." He nodded. "He gave me a bit to use for special rounds." Ironhide nodded. "Cause he likes me so much."

"Cause he wanted you to stop asking is more the case." Starscream rolled his optics. "Oh you're going to be insufferable now."

"And you already aren't?" The pick-up jabbed back. Starscream locked gaze and gave him a death glare and the pick-up raised his colt pointing down the field.

"I'm clear." Shifter ran to a spot between them effectively killing their tension. Ironhide didn't look away from Starscream's optics as he cocked back the trigger. "All cans." He stated and fired at the first post, which splintered with the impact of the trillium bullet. All the canisters were rough with shrapnel and collapsed down on the ground.

"YES!" Shifter jumped up and down.

"You only succeeded with a technicality." Starscream rolled his eyes waved a hand and walked away. Ironhide and shifter were still reveling in his wake.

* * *

><p>Optimus' optics onlined and he groaned shifting slightly. When did his berth last feel so small? Looking down at his torso the cruiser lay over him helm shaking slightly as he was still recharging, and apparently fluxing.<p>

"Prowl." Optimus' hand touched his helm petting softly. "Prowl." He stated louder. Optimus bit his lip considering but spoke anyway. "Barricade." He rumbled.

Prowl's helm shot up and his voice was gruff. "Sir?" He blinked. "Oh.." he cleared his vocals softly looking around. "Optimus." He smiled. "I'm uh- sorry."

"It's fine." Optimus smiled up fondly. "How are you feeling Prowl?"

The cruiser nodded as he sat up. "Stiff." He admitted with a small smile as his door wings fluttered softly.

Optimus nodded "I myself could stand to flex my joints."

Prowl blinked. "Let me get off you."

Optimus grabbed his arm. "I don't want you to move just yet." Optimus stated calmly trying to pull the smaller mech back to him.

"Prime I…" He looked down.

"It's alright." He smiled. "You're more Barricade than Prowl." He touched the cruiser's face. "This transition is hard. I both understand and respect any space you may need through the transition."

"Very." Prowl admitted. "I spent so long in their ranks…trying to flush out who the traitors in the Autobot ranks our that reported to the Decepticon side…that it became who I was." He nodded. "I lost Prowl all together, my mission was always true, but my name…" he shook his helm.

"I don't think that's true." Optimus said his hand lowering to Prowl's shoulder and then down his lower back-strut. "I think you're still here…the mech I knew." He smiled. "I just think that you need more time." Optimus nodded. "If there's anything you need." The semi rumbled.

"I have all I need." Prowl nodded but Optimus pulled him down. "Optimus I-" His words ran short as the Prime pressed their lips together softly.

"Kiss me." Optimus offered and smiled up at him. "Please Cade." He murmured.

The cruiser's engine revved with vigor and he nodded. "You don't know how long I've waited to hear you call me by that name."

"Barricade." Optimus rumbled up to the cruiser.

The Cruiser's optics were almost violet and he moaned against the Prime.

* * *

><p>"Easy." Hook said leaning back on the berth. "You'll strain my back strut with your weight." He gouged pushing back.<p>

"Good thing I know a good medic." Ratchet said as their bodies pressed further. "Hold still! I'm almost there..." He said calmly. Snapping back off Hook he nodded holding up a pair of metal tweezers. "Got it."

Hook growled from the berth and rolled slightly clutching his optic. "SLAG YOU RATCHET!"

"Awe come now…just an insect." He held the tweezers up. "Grasshopper." He nodded. "Very nice specimen …even still alive…minus one appendage." He turned. "Is that still in your optic?"

"Slag you." Hook had rolled off the berth and stood to the side helm up dripping energon into the optic to flush out the particles from the insect.

"Well that's fine then." Ratchet turned and dropped the creature in a clear jar and placed a lid on it. "very small." He marveled.

"It's a bug." Hook shook his helm having finished flushing the optic and came over looking down at the creature. "How can that fascinate you?"

"The same way the reptile fascinates you." Ratchet countered pointing to the very large aquarium hook had set up for it.

"It's an experiment…I removed it's tail and I am tracking it's regrowth." He stated. "That is fascinating."

"It has a name… Scale" Ratchet said. "It's a pet you could feed it the grasshopper if you like."

Hook rolled his optics and turned away. "What's on our docket for today besides Ironhide?"

"Nothing that I'm aware of, besides Optimus' talk but that will be MUCH later tonight." He stated calmly and silence began to permeate the air. "Hook?" Ratchet stood eyeing the dark green medic seriously.

Hook turned marginally back. "Yes?"

"Are you happy here?" Ratchet frowned at former Decepticon as he stood tall. "With me?"

"No." Hook shook his helm. "I am not." He stated honestly. "But I will be alright. I will live." He gave a half sparked smile. "I promise."

Ratchet nodded and stepped up to him. "If you are displeased with me in any way-"

Hook frowned at that. "It's not you." He sighed. "It's earth." He shrugged lightly folding his arms over his spark chamber. "We don't get to leave. This planet is so small, and you and I are stuck on this miniscule base." Hook turned away and opened a jar of food for his pet lizard.

Ratchet smiled. "I understand." Already a plan was forming in the CMO's mind as he watched the hunter green Decepticon open Scale's tank and place in food with a long set of sterile tweezers. Ratchet felt a bit badly at how sorrow filled the other medic looked; despite the insistence he was fine. Ratchet having made up his mind turned. "I'll be back in a few minutes I'm going to check on our carrier."

Hook nodded and waved a hand but said nothing. Ratchet, confident the other medic would not follow him, left out the hanger and rather than head for Ironhide; he turned in the direction of the command center.

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><p><em>To be continued...<em>

_Thank you for your continued support._

_As always reviews help me write... review to find out what happens next!_


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